Posted in Sustainable Business

Seven of Australia’s most Sustainable National Parks

National Parks of Australia – Our Seven Wonders

When trying to live a sustainable life and doing the best for the future of our planet, there’s no better way to motivate yourself to stay on the path of conservation and sustainability, than to look directly into Australia’s back yard, and check out some of the National Parks we have. With such a vast land, we are lucky to live in a country that is still able to help sustain the majestic places our motherland has provided for us.

This week marks Parks Week 2020, so we thought we would remind you of how lucky we truly are, and introduce you to 7 of our top picks of Australia’s National Parks. What’s important is that we remember why it’s so imperative to conserve our country and its pure gifts she has given us, and these seven wonders are a great reminder for that.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – TASMANIA

Photo credit: Get Your Guide

Not only is Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain beautiful to see, the fact that half its alpine flora is endemic and cannot grow anywhere else in the world is a wonder in itself. It’s no surprise why so many Australians travel to the area each year. If you plan to visit, check out TasWlk Co who have built 5 Sustainable Cradle Huts among the forest walk. They have been designed to be completely, ecologically sustainable by using unique waste management practices in these non-polluting and self-contained huts.

PORT CAMPBELL NATIONAL PARK – VICTORIA

Photo credit: Explore the Great Ocean Road

Earning a name like the Shipwreck Coast, Port Campbell National Park is one of the most pristine national parks in Australia. It has stunning coastline formations, and it’s marine and wildlife is present in abundance. If you take a walk at night, you might be lucky enough to see some penguins at dinner time. Don’t forget to explore the London Bridge and the Twelve Apostles.

KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK – NSW

Photo credit: Camper Mate

Regardless that Australia mostly has a subtropical climate, it also offers some of the best snowfields, caves, fishing spots and national park walks in the World.  Kosciuszko National Park would have to be one of Australia’s top rated ‘National Treasures’. With areas such as Thredo-Perisher, Lower Snowy River, Khancoban, Selwyn, Yarrangobilly, Tumut and High Plains, it’s a ‘must-see’ for any Aussie.

BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – NSW

Photo credit: Planet Ware

If Kosciuszko isn’t enough to boast about, we also have the Blue Mountain National Park. Consisting of 6 areas, including Katoomba, Blackheath, Glenbrook, Lower Gross Valley, Mount Wilson, and Southern Blue Mountains area, this national park has a very European feel to it. Probably why so many visit the forests the area offers year after year. Visiting The Three Sisters is worth the trip to Katoomba alone.

UNDARA VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK – QLD

Photo credit: Wikiwand

Many Australians don’t know that we have a volcanic national park in Australia, let alone that it contains one of the planet’s longest flows of lava, originating from a single volcano. Undara is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘long way’ and the name fits the part, since this lava tube cave system began about 190,000 years ago. The area is also very rich in volcanic basalt soils. Tours are only available through commercial tour organisations to protect the environment and sustain it for future generations.

KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK – WA

Photo credit: Ecoretreat 

This unspoiled, nature-based national park boasts a diverse landscape and is well known for its incredible gorges, that are up to 100 metres in depth. You can find this magical, almost untouched nature strip about 1400km north of Perth. Its majestic creeks are visited by tourists from all over the continent, but surprisingly enough, it is extremely well conserved. Karijini National Park is the second largest natural park in WA, and definitely one to add to your bucket list.

WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK – QLD

Photo credit: Australian Traveler

The Whitsundays. We’ve saved the best for last. This is by far Queensland’s most treasured destinations to visit. Offering the purest silica sand which is almost white in colour, it is home to the most vibrant underwater marine life, making it a popular snorkeling destination. It has crystal clear salt water, creating a translucent underwater heaven that we call the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t forget that humpback whales are also spotted here in abundance.

What’s your favourite wonder from our list?

Steps the Logistics Industry Needs To Take To Be More Sustainable

There are a lot of global challenges involved in fighting climate change and making our environment more sustainable. We have written about the dire state of the environment before, and it’s easy to read such discussions as having to do solely with specific habitats or ecosystems. That’s fair enough, and it’s those ecosystems that, in some cases, are going to need the most direct rehabilitation. But it’s also important to maintain some global perspective and focus on some of the larger causes that can help to slow, and hopefully stop climate change worldwide.

Sustainability in the logistics industry is one such cause. Gary Marion wrote about transportation pollution for The Balance and clearly conveyed the relatively disastrous impact that modern supply chains can have. As he pointed out, an inventory item that arrives at a warehouse for distribution today will typically have been transported by multiple trucks, forklifts, possibly airplanes, and possibly cargo ships. This process, multiplied by innumerable product orders and across thousands of companies around the world, accounts for a significant portion of worldwide greenhouse emissions – not to mention a great deal of energy and material waste.

Considering all of this makes it clear that a more sustainable logistics industry, and more energy-efficient supply chains, represent important steps toward a healthier climate and recovering environment. So here we’ll look at a few steps that can be taken toward a more responsible industry.

Driver Education

Drivers are not the primary cause of emissions in the modern logistics industry, but they carry more responsibility than most people probably assume. Taylor Fasulas of Verizon Connect Australia wrote about driver education as a possible solution, suggesting that more informed and regulated drivers could help to lower fuel costs (and ultimately, fuel emissions). As she pointed out, simple education can make drivers more conscious of how the way they drive affects fuel consumption. For example, an idling truck, according to the article, can consume a litre of fuel every hour. If companies with busy logistics operations better educate their fleet managers and drivers on points like this, it can result in significant fuel conservation and thus lower emissions.  Steps the Logistics Industry Needs To Take To Be More Sustainable

Going Electric

While certain electric cars have more benefits than others, and no two are exactly alike, it’s accepted at this point that by and large they have lower CO2 emissions, and are thus far better for the environment than traditional vehicles. More important for this conversation, though, is that they’re also becoming feasible at an industry supply chain scale. Writing on the subject of the environmental friendliness of electric cars, Science Focus noted that manufacturers are now convinced that they can “build electric cars with a comparable range and speed to their petrol counterparts.” That doesn’t mean these cars or the manufacturing of them have been perfected – but it does mean that companies can begin restructuring their shipping fleets to include more electric vehicles, and significantly reduce emissions.

Implementing Supply Chain IoT

The Internet of Things can also play a significant role in making modern supply chains more sustainable, and in fact is already doing so in some cases. IoT-connected sensors can be built into fleet vehicles to monitor driving performance and produce data that can be used to improve practices and reduce unnecessary emissions. Products and store shelves can be outfitted with other sensors such that inventory is tracked automatically and shipping occurs only when necessary. The benefits in this case are varied and wide-ranging, but can ultimately do a great deal to reduce wasteful logistical activity.

By implementing these steps, companies in the logistics industry can take significant strides toward a more sustainable future. And ultimately, this could be one of the more impactful global efforts we see toward stopping the advance of climate change.

Exclusively written by Sab Mitchell for liveablecities.org.au

Uni Student Starts Sustainable Business From his Flat

Starting a business can be hard, especially when you’re in your first year of an Economics degree.

With the determination to rid the world of plastic, that’s exactly what British student Tom Benford did in 2018. With a growing business and a prestigious Chamber of Commerce award under his belt, at just 21 years old Tom is on track to make waves in the global sustainable business market.

Tom had always had an affinity for entrepreneurship and jokes that when he was 11, he bought cheap supermarket branded custard creams to sell on to his fellow classmates, undercutting the school canteen. Fast-forward 8 years to the morning after a uni house party where Tom awoke to what can only be described as a plastic hangover in his kitchen, and where he witnessed a friend rinsing out a plastic straw to reuse it. That’s when inspiration hit.

Knowing that there must have been a more sustainable option than reusing a plastic straw, Tom started researching suppliers of reusable metal straws, which could be washed and reused again and again.

With a first shipment of stainless-steel straws and cleaning brushes coming in, aptly named Plastic Phobia was ready to launch its online shop. The first sale was made on the very first day to a family friend, which came to £2.54. It wasn’t long before Tom started getting requests to take wholesale orders, as at this time zero waste products were hard to come by. Plastic Phobia now supplies over 250 stores in the UK, Europe, and Beyond. When Tom’s spare room was filled to the brim with boxes of products, it became clear that Plastic Phobia had to move into a more size appropriate location and is now based at Alison Business Centre in Sheffield.

Before

After

After taking a year out from his studies to focus on the business, Tom formally withdrew from university in 2019 because Plastic Phobia had grown to a level that far exceeded expectations and it was not possible to study and work on the business at the same time. Although the company has enjoyed great success, it hasn’t always been easy. Tom recalls that the hardest challenge he’s had to face was getting traction initially, “Putting the business together piece by piece was difficult. Then growing your start up is difficult. It’s not easy!” Over the last few months Plastic Phobia has expanded to hire Marketing Coordinator Shelby Storey and Sales Coordinator Abi Baker (who spent a large part of her Childhood living in Melbourne), and the team is excited to see the company continue to grow. In October 2019 Tom won the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce President’s Young Entrepreneur 2019 Award, which is an achievement the whole Plastic Phobia team is immensely proud of. He was invited to the dinner in person by the president himself and was surprised with the award on the night.

Plastic Phobia is a forward-thinking company; each day brings a new idea and a stronger strategy. The company recently opened an online B2B ordering platform, which has seen a huge uplift in customer orders and proves that there really is a strong demand for sustainable products. It’s clear that accessibility is key when running any business, but especially when running a sustainable business, as people might often go with convenience over conscience. It’s Plastic Phobia’s mission to provide friendly and efficient customer service, and to ensure that zero waste products are accessible to all.

It’s no secret that Plastic Pollution is a serious problem, It’s estimated that each year the average Australian throws away 130kg of plastic, and the UK collectively bins 295bn pieces of plastic. Reducing waste had always been important to Tom and starting a sustainable business, though not always easy, was an easy decision to make. The company now has an extensive range of zero waste products including Bamboo Toothbrushes, Denttabs Toothpaste Tablets, and Coconut Bowls. While there are efforts being made to remove plastic waste from the oceans, it’s more important than ever that we stop adding to the problem or else we risk being guilty of grabbing the mop before turning off the tap, as the adage would have it.

Thankfully, consumer habits are quickly moving towards sustainability, as customers actively seek out eco-friendly products for themselves and to give as gifts. In the UK there seem to be endless zero waste shops opening on high streets, in markets, and online. This trend is one making ripples globally, with Germany appearing to have the strongest established market for zero waste products.

Australian consumers are ever more conscious of their buying habits, and as the home to the Great Barrier Reef and distinguished coastlines it’s no surprise that people want to make Australia greener.

From the UK, to Germany, to Australia and the rest of the world, one thing that stands out is the community attitude of sustainable businesses. Time and time again we hear about our customers making friends with other local sustainable businesses and opting to combine shipments to minimise the environmental impact from deliveries. At Plastic Phobia we have an open communication with all our customers to find out what is and isn’t working and act accordingly. It is our aim to start a Zero Waste Support group and offer advice to those just starting out who might need help with starting a sustainable business.

Evolving from an idea the morning after a student party into a successful sustainable business trading globally, Plastic Phobia is proof that taking a business idea from dream into reality is a very real possibility. Talking to those who are already running sustainable businesses and sharing ideas for environmental progression means that hopefully together we can work towards a more liveable future.

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.

DISCOVER STRATEGIES SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES.
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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.