We live on a beautiful, luscious planet that seems to keep on giving and giving…but have you ever thought about what happens when it has nothing left to give? Hello, my name is Taylar and I am super passionate about environmentalism and keeping the earth the way it should be – clean & plastic free.

With Clean Up Australia Day coming up this Sunday, it’s the perfect time for us to have a little chat about a big topic – sustainability!

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? 

Sustainability is the avoidance of draining the earth’s natural resources so that we can keep a fair ecological balance. It’s about thinking of the long-term effects of our lifestyle on mother earth and how we can keep her happy, green and clean.

WHY DOES IT MATTER? 

Each year, we contribute to climate change by driving cars, using electricity and deforestation and therefore deplete the earth of its naturally occurring resources. We need to think of greener, cleaner, more sustainable ways to live so that our kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews can live a happy, healthy lifestyle on planet earth.

EASY WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT EVERYDAY 

Take public transport

1. By not travelling in a car, you are significantly reducing carbon emissions which contribute to climate change. Plus – when you take public transport, you have more free time for fun things like drawing, reading books or mindfully listening to music.
2. Don’t forget your masks and remember to have a safe distance between yourself and other passengers.

Support local produce!

1. Check where your local farmers markets are and bring a friend with you to do your grocery shopping (remember to BYO reusable bags!)
2. Why not even try planting your own veggies? Tays tip: tomatoes and capsicums can easily be grown in a pot! I grow my own on my balcony.

Volunteer in environmental groups

1. Have a search on Facebook, Google or Meet Ups for some local environment groups near you! Ensure you bring a friend and get parental consent.
2. If you’re in Melbourne – definitely check out the clean ups that Little Litter Project run! Fun fact: Candace (CEO and Founder of Little Litter Project) recently spoke about sustainability at our Young & Unstoppable event.

 Use reusable products!

1. We love using alternatives to plastic straws like The Other Straw. They’re so easy to clean, even easier to carry around and they’re not harmful to marine animals like baby turtles!
2. Say NO to plastic bags and containers. Purchase a few material grocery shopping bags for your shopping and use glass containers the ones from our friends Seed & Sprout.

Learn about recycling!

1. Ask your council to send you information about what can go in each bin and ensure you’re doing the right thing!
2. Print some posters off about dos and don’t of recycling and put them up in your school, workplace or community group.

When we think of sustainability and climate change, a lot of people make the mistake in thinking it’s a gigantic problem that’s just too big to tackle. The truth is, we can make a huge difference by doing these simple things every single day. Let’s be part of the solution and not the problem.