Eco Chat with Laura Trotta Podcast

For most of us, our homes are the biggest investment we'll make in our lifetime. Decisions we make in the home design process impact not only the durability and longevity of our home but also our home's sustainability and cost to run. In this Eco Chat episode I'm joined again by Janine Strachan. Janine explains what sustainable home design is and why it's important. She also describes the main elements of sustainable home design and how they impact the sustainability of a home. If you're in the process of designing or building a home and would like it to be as sustainable and efficient as possible, this episode is a must listen!   Resources: Green Design Solutions Sustainable Design Expert Webinar Series Sustainability in the Suburbs by Laura Trotta – the book! Pre-order now!

Tiny Houses are a low impact solution to both the housing crisis and high environmental impact of housing. According to the Australian Tiny House Association, Tiny Houses are moveable dwellings up to 50m2 that are suitable for residential use and can be largely grouped into three categories: on wheels, on skids or shipping containers. In this episode, Janine Strachan, Founder of Tiny House Solutions, President of the Australian Tiny House Association (ATHA) and host of ‘Tips from the Tiny House Guru' podcast shares what's driving the growth in the Tiny House Movement, advantages and disadvantages of living in a tiny house, costs and legalities associated with building a tiny house and her best advice for those looking to build and live in a Tiny House.

Lola is a Year 9 student from Exeter in the Southern Highlands region of NSW. She marched as a Year 6 student in the large student climate strikes in 2019 and subsequently joined the School Strike 4 Climate movement. She now leads the School Strike 4 Climate group in her regional town and is actively meeting with her local candidates for the upcoming Federal election to ensure the voice of youth is heard loud and clear. In this episode my son Matthew will interview Lola, uncovering the information he needs to include in his school assignment on someone who is using their voice for good, but also educating himself more in how students, not too much older than him, are making a really big impact in climate change awareness. Lola will share what the School Strike 4 Climate movement is and why she decided to join, when and how it was founded, and the impact the movement is having. Resources: SchoolStrike4Climate.com

We all need a bank to help us manage our money. But what if “who” we banked with made a difference? What if your everyday banking was yet another avenue to create a better future for humanity? What if your everyday banking could create a better global environment in the future? What if your bank poured its profits into social and environmental initiatives in the community it operated, rather than paying returns to shareholders? WHO you bank with CAN make a difference. A big one! In this Eco Chat episode I'm joined by Sustainability Manager of Beyond Bank, Kate Carroll. Beyond Bank Australia is a local customer-owned and B Corporation bank. Kate works across the business to help create positive impact for people and planet whilst also delivering value for the organisation. Kate will share why she believes people should care about who they bank with, what it means for a bank to be customer-owned and a B Corporation, and what you should look out for when making the switch to a more ethical bank. Resources: B Corporation Beyond Bank Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs Disclaimer: Laura Trotta is not a financial planner. Any investment advice given by Laura Trotta (or by any other person through this Website) is based on that person's opinion and their general experience, but not your specific case. A such, you should always seek independent financial advice for your particular circumstances before acting on information that is published or recommended on this Website.

Superannuation is incredibly important to ensure you're comfortable financially in retirement. But what if superannuation had another purpose? What if superannuation was an avenue for you to create a better future for humanity? What if superannuation was an avenue for you to create a better global environment in the future? What if could easily divest your superannuation investments away from fossil fuels, guns or gambling and instead invest in renewables, micro-finance for women-run businesses and social housing? Well you can! In this Eco Chat episode I'm joined by co-founder and CEO of Verve Super, Christina Hobbs. Christina is an experienced Board Director in the superannuation industry and a former Deloitte Management Consultant. Prior to founding Verve, Christina worked for over a decade as a humanitarian and financial inclusion expert for the United Nations. She is a former Board Director of the Global Women's Project and a published author on gender equality. Christina will explain what ESG superannuation funds are, how you can make the switch to an ethical fund and why she co-founded Verve Super, Australia's first ethical superannuation fund tailored for women. Disclaimer: Laura Trotta is not a financial planner. Any investment advice given by Laura Trotta (or by any other person through this Website) is based on that person's opinion and their general experience, but not your specific case. A such, you should always seek independent financial advice for your particular circumstances before acting on information that is published or recommended on this Website. Resources: Verve Super Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs

Whether it's eating organically grown food, avoiding fast fashion or divesting your financial investments from fossil fuels, tobacco or companies with a track record of modern slavery, conscious consumers and investors have long voted with their money and changed the world in the process. Investing your money can be complex at the best of times. Investing your money ethically can be even more complicated, with social washing* and greenwashing* rife. In this Eco Chat episode I'm joined by Christopher Zinn. Christopher is a personal finance expert and consumer campaigner at Life Sherpa. He is passionate about ethical investing and believes that empowering consumers with reliable and understandable advice and information they can implement now makes life's goals more achievable. Christopher will share the difference between ethical and conventional investing, how to get started with ethical investing and what to look for in an ESG superannuation fund. *Social washing = a company making misleading claims about the social responsibility of its products or services to position itself in a better light for economic gains and public image. *Greenwashing = a company making misleading claims about the sustainability credentials of its products or services to position itself in a better light for economic gains and public image.   Resources: Follow Christopher Zinn on LinkedIn Life Sherpa

The most wonderful time of the year is also the most wasteful, but that needn't be the case! In this episode I share five ways you can reduce your food waste this Christmas so the season is lighter on your wallet, waistline and our precious planet. Resources: Seasons Greenings e-guide

If you've been feeling down about the state of the global environment, particularly after COP26 in Glasgow, this episode is for you. I'm sharing a presentation I delivered to around 200 doctors last month at the Doctors for the Environment iDEA 2021 conference. I was invited by Dr Kate Wylie to share a message of innovation and progress so conference attendees could leave the conference with a feeling of hope. I hope the presentation has a similar impact on you too.

There's plenty of factors to consider when investing in a home. Proximity to schools, shops, health services, family and public transport are some of the key considerations. Smart investors of today are factoring in another consideration – climate change risk – and for good reason. Climate change risk is impacting the valuation and insurance cost of Australian residential properties and is expected to become more important as time marches on, and the impacts of climate change become more visible.  For this reason it make sense to obtain a climate risk report at the same time as you conduct your building and pest inspections. In this episode, Karl Mallon from Climate Valuation shares how you can assess the climate risk to your home and steps you can take to ensure that your investment is physically and financially sound. Resources: Climate Valuation Climate Valuation on LinkedIn Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs

If you're looking to reduce your household carbon emissions, you really can't go past installing a home solar photovoltaic system with battery storage. But with so many dealers and installers out there, and with such a high investment cost, where do you even start? In Part 1 of this Home Energy feature, Bernie Kelly from bidmysolar shared how home solar photovoltaic systems work, their cost and their advantages and disadvantages. In Part 2, Bernie kindly shares how home battery storage systems work, their cost, how long they last and traps you should be aware of before you make the investment.   Resources: bidmysolar – Australia's Solar Search Engine Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs

If you're looking to reduce your household carbon emissions, you really can't go past installing a home solar photovoltaic system with battery storage. But with so many dealers and installers out there, and with such a high investment cost, where do you even start? In Part 1 of this Home Energy feature Bernie Kelly from bidmysolar shares how home solar photovoltaic systems work, their cost and their advantages and disadvantages. Stay tuned for Part 2 where Bernie will share how home battery storage systems work, their cost, how long they last, and traps you should be aware of before you make the investment.   Resources: bidmysolar – Australia's Solar Search Engine Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs

Money does indeed make the world go round and the type of businesses that we invest in today creates the world of tomorrow. Notwithstanding, the corporate world has a huge role to play in shaping the kind of world we live in. The traditional mindset of corporates to maximise returns for shareholders is redundant and these days, only companies that are sustainable in the true sense of the word will survive. Think sound environmental practices, a strong human rights record and an inclusive and diverse workforce where every employee can bring their best selves to work. In this episode I'm chatting all things corporate sustainability with Dr Kaushik Sridhar. Kaushik shares how he went from being a professional tennis player to a corporate leader in sustainability, what the current state of play of sustainability is in the corporate world and tips and strategies for corporates to become more sustainable. Resources: Connect with Dr Kaushik Sridhar on LinkedIn Follow Kaushik's blog Learn to live sustainably with Laura in Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs

Oliver is an award-winning author, is studying Communications' Journalism at University of Technology, Sydney and lives in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales Australia, an area ravaged by the horrendous 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. Shocked and traumatised by the destruction he witnessed during the fires, and deeply concerned about the impact on wildlife, Oliver threw himself into writing an adventure novel to raise funds for environmental projects. The result is FireWorks and the Fireworks Fund. FireWorks is an adventure story about a koala named Iluka who explains how he and his friends survived the 2019-20 bushfires. All proceeds from the sale of FireWorks go to the Fireworks Fund to support environmental charities. In this episode Oliver shares why he created FireWorks, what it's like being a young adult in 2021 (spoiler alert – it doesn't sound like much fun being overeducated and socially distanced!) and what advice he has for other young adults who are wanting to do something bigger to help the environment.

Dr Marji is a coral reef scientist who aims to teach kids around the world about the climate crisis through interactive play and art. Marji meets kids at their level with play dough and LEGO and isn’t afraid to dress up as a coral polyp or penguin to help get the important message of the climate crisis across to young inquisitive minds. Dr Marji also runs an international drawing contest for kids at kidscareaboutclimate.org that brings kids around the world together to make their voices heard on this vital issue. In this episode Dr Marji will share why she’s focussing on educating kids about the climate crisis rather than adults, how she ensures she doesn’t fuel any anxieties the children may already have about the state of our global environment, and how you can get the children in your life involved by drawing a picture of a tree and in turn have a real tree planted on their behalf. Resources: kidscareaboutclimate.org Kids Care About Climate Facebook Kids Care About Climate Instagram Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs

Climate change has traditionally been viewed as an economic and environmental issue but it is fundamentally a human health issue. In this episode of Eco Chat I’m joined by Dr Kate Wylie from Climate Medicine to discuss the growing health risk to the human population from a warming climate.   Dr Kate Wylie is a GP, a mother and climate activist based in Adelaide, South Australia. She is also the founder of Climate Medicine, a member of Doctors for the Environment Australia and is a Climate Reality Leader. Dr Wylie educates the community and health professionals on the health impacts of climate change. In this episode Dr Kate will share how the impact of climate change is already presenting in patients in her clinic, what key impacts to human health doctors are anticipating will become more common as our climate continues to change, and what led her to create Climate Medicine. Resources: www.climatemedicine.net

If you’re looking for educational sustainability books for the children in your life, you’re in the right place. I’m joined on Eco Chat by Patricia Newman, author of several educational books on environmental and social justice issues including Eavesdropping on Elephants; Sea Otter Heroes; Neema's Reason to Smile; Zoo Scientists to the Rescue; and Plastic, Ahoy! Translating complicated scientific research into something the average fourth grader can understand is one of Patricia’s gifts. Every Newman title includes hours of research, location travel, and authentic voices sharing the latest scientific discoveries. Patricia released her latest book, Planet Ocean with photographer Annie Crawley in early March 2021 to much acclaim. Planet Ocean is currently #1 on Amazon in Children’s Australia! In this episode Patricia will share what led her to write Planet Ocean, how we need to stop thinking of ourselves as existing separate from the ocean and how to start taking better care of this precious resource. Resources: Patricia Newman website Patricia Newman Facebook 5-day Plastic Free Challenge

If you’re looking for an internet search engine that gives back, look no further than Ecosia. Ecosia is quite literally, the search engine that plants trees. Ecosia donates 80% of its profits to non-profit organisations that focus on reforestation, considers itself a social business, is CO2-negative and supports full financial transparency and protect the privacy of its users.  In this episode Hannah Wickes will share how Ecosia came about, how it works and how you can easily make the switch to ensure your web surfing is creating change for good. Visit www.ecosia.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. And if you are growing an eco business check out the Eco Business Collective where I combine my extensive environmental engineering and business experience to support you. 

If you’re looking for commercial cleaning products that are toxin free, plastic free and are made in Australia by a social enterprise, look no further than Resparkle. Pearl Chan is on a mission to create a plastic free future for our families and she’s helping people get started in their homes. In this episode Pearl will share her journey from being a corporate banker to founding and growing an eco business that’s become a leader in toxin and plastic free home cleaning products. Resources: Resparkle Website Resparkle Instagram Resparkle Facebook Brunswick Industries Laura’s Home Detox Cheat Sheet Laura’s 5-day Green Cleaning Challenge

While 2020 saw Covid-19 ravage human populations and communities around the world, there were many positives throughout the year for our local, regional and global environments. This New Year, as many of us continue to struggle to process the year that was 2020, I thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight five positive environmental news stories. It’s my intention that they give you some hope for 2021 and beyond. Resources: Eco Business Collective  

If your business, company or organisation wishes to become carbon neutral to reduce their environmental impact and demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Polly Hemming from Climate Active to discuss steps business or organisations need to take to become certified carbon neutral and the associated costs and auditing requirements. This episode follows on from episode 155: How to Offest Your Carbon Emissions with Louise Tarrier from Carbon Positive Australia which also discussed carbon neutrality, but for individuals and organisations not seeking certification. In contrast, this episode is for businesses seeking carbon neutral certification. Resources: Climate Active Australia Eco Business Collective

This past month I presented at the online Ecopreneur Summit, sharing tips and strategies for how to how to make your business more sustainable. It’s this presentation on How to Grow a Green Business that I share with you in this podcast episode. I also share details of my new Eco Business Collective, a major focus for me for 2021 and beyond. Eco Business Collective will become the premier online membership community for ecopreneurs and eco business builders. Members receive personalized coaching support and a network of connections to help them grow a thriving and profitable eco business online. If you’re growing an eco business and would like the support of an experienced environmental engineer and eco business coach (that’s me!) plus the support of a growing community of eco business builders, click HERE for more information on the Eco Business Collective. For a limited time you can take advantage of a FREE 30-day trial and lock in foundation member rates for the duration of your membership! Click HERE to join the Eco Business Collective

This year I was invited to join the judging panel for the Australian Non Toxic Awards, a role that involved testing and critiquing a large range of zero waste products for the home. The full list of winners can be found on the Australia Non-Toxic Awards website, but I wanted to take the opportunity to showcase a few of my favourite zero waste products. I encourage you to support these eco businesses so you can reduce your environmental impact and in turn, help them make a bigger impact. For strategies and support to ditch single-use plastics, join my FREE 5-day Plastic Free Challenge. In just five minutes a day for five days you’ll learn how to break up with single-use plastics in and around your home and while out and about.

If you’re keen to reduce your toxin load AND you love cooking, this episode is for you. And if you use non-stick pans and your lining is damaged or you’ve accidentally overheated your pan and created fumes, this episode is especially for you. I’m discussing toxins you need to be aware of in traditional non-stick cookware and share some safer alternatives for you. Click HERE to download my Home Detox Cheat Sheet Click HERE to join my Home Detox Bootcamp

If you’ve changed some of your habits and have embraced a sustainable lifestyle, but you want to go one step further by offsetting your carbon emissions this podcast episode is for you. I’m joined by Louise Tarrier, CEO of Carbon Positive Australia. Louise will share how individuals and organisations can easily offset their carbon emissions to become carbon neutral and create a better future for us all. Follow Carbon Positive Australia on: Instagram Facebook  LinkedIn  

Electric vehicles are slowing making their way into the marketplace across Australia and overseas with companies such as Nissan and Telsa offering affordable entry level electric family car options.  In this episode we are joined by Dan Deleur, Vice Chair of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association South Australian branch to discuss the pros and cons of electric vehicles.  Dan's interest in EVs originated in Auto Racing 10 years ago and is augmented by his desire to reduce his environmental impact. His most recent endeavour is Designing and Building an Independently Constructed Vehicle (ICV) which is predominantly constructed utilising second-hand parts from several manufactures. The most relevant of which is the Electric Motor and Drive train sourced from a 2013 Tesla Model S. Progress on the EV Project nicknamed ‘Short Black’ and the associated Distractions and Creations that life with so many hobbies provides, can now be seen on Dan’s YouTube Channel Australian Electric Vehicle Association

Fresh lemons are a natural, safe and economical way to clean your home (especially if you have your own lemon tree!).  By replacing several common commercial cleaning products with fresh lemons you’ll reduce waste, save money and improve your health. In this episode I’ll share six simple ways to clean your home naturally with fresh lemons.  For tips on how to use natural products from your pantry to clean your home, join my FREE 5-day Green Cleaning Challenge For my complete framework to reduce chemicals and toxins in your home, join my Home Detox Boot Camp

Pure soap is the original general purpose cleaner. In its purest form, natural soap contains no extra additives such as colours and fragrances and biodegrades completely. In this article I’ll share the benefits of using pure soap for household cleaning tasks and my three favourite uses for pure soap flakes. For strategies and support to reduce chemicals and toxins in your home, including a heap of natural cleaning recipes, join my Home Detox Boot Camp

Did you know that one of the growing threats to our coral reefs lives in your beach bag? Sunscreen, or more specifically the chemicals found in many sunscreens, are contributing to coral bleaching and the subsequent death of our beautiful reefs. In this episode I share what to look for in an eco-friendly sunscreen, and in particular how to ensure your sunscreen is reef safe. Always look at ingredient lists to make sure reef-damaging substances (such as oxybenzone, butylparaben, octinoxate and 4-methylbenzylidine camphor, all of which have been shown to cause coral bleaching even at low levels) aren’t included. For strategies and support to reduce chemicals and toxins in your home, join my Home Detox Boot Camp. Resources: 2008 Sunscreen by University of Marche Environmental Working Group Sunscreen Choices

In reaching the milestone of 150 episodes of Eco Chat I thought it was timely to take a look back on the past (almost) five years of podcasting and share the top ten episodes, as downloaded by you! Did your favorite make the list!?! Be sure to leave a review for Eco Chat in Apple Podcasts to show your love and help other Eco Heros get the tips and info they need to create a healthier and more sustainable home and lifestyle. 

Many households who are making an effort to reduce the volume of single-use plastics they consume have trouble replacing one item…..the humble rubbish bin liner. In this episode I’m sharing four alternatives to single use plastic bin liners. For strategies and support to ditch single-use plastics, join my FREE 5-day Plastic Free Challenge.

Farmers and primary producers are experts in land management and meteorology. They need to be in order to survive.  Anika Molesworth is a recognised thought-leader of agro-ecological systems resilience. She is an agricultural science researcher, communicator and works in international agricultural development. Anika is also a passionate advocate for sustainable farming, environmental conservation and climate change action. She is a director of Farmers for Climate Action, a movement that puts farmers on the front lines of climate change and at the front and centre of the solutions.  In this episode Anika and I discuss how climate change is impacting primary producers and how farmers are uniting for climate action.

The catastrophic and unprecedented 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season, colloquially referred to as the Black Summer, burnt an estimated 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres; 186,000 square kilometres, 72,000 square miles), destroyed over 5,900 buildings (including 2,779 homes) and killed at least 34 people (including a number of firefighters). An estimated one billion animals were killed and some endangered species may have been pushed to extinction. At its peaks, air quality dropped to hazardous levels. Smoke from the Australian fires was detected some 11,000 kilometres (6,800 miles) away across the South Pacific Ocean in Chile and Argentina. The cost of the fires is expected to be in the billions of dollars. While the fires that ravaged every state and territory in Australia, particular the south-eastern States, are now extinguished and the world’s attention has turned to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot allow the Australian Black Summer to become a memory. The impacts of Covid-19 will be a speedbump in contrast to the growing impacts of climate change. It’s time to address the scary reality that the Australian Black Summer signals a new normal for bushfires in Australia and other regions around the world. In this Episode of Eco Chat I’m joined by former Commissioner of Fire & Rescue NSW Greg Mullins to unpack the angriest summer of fires in Australia. We discuss how climate change is impacting the frequency and intensity of bushfires and how communities can reduce their bushfire risk in a warming world.

Gut health is the foundation of good health and it's no different when it comes to our kids. In this podcast naturopath Jessica Donovan shares how to improve our kids gut health so they can thrive in our modern world. Resources Kids Gut Health eBook Natural Super Kids Video Training Series Natural Super Kids on Facebook

Eucalyptus essential oil is a natural, effective and economical way to clean your home. In part three of the Spring Cleaning Series I share many applications for cleaning with essential oil. Resources: Home Detox Cheat Sheet Home Detox Boot Camp

White vinegar is a natural, safe and economical way to clean your home. In part two of the Spring Cleaning Series I share many applications for cleaning with white vinegar in your home. Resources: 5-day Green Cleaning Challenge Home Detox Boot Camp

In this first episode of my Spring Cleaning Series I share how to remove mould from your home naturally without using chlorine bleach. Resources Home Detox Cheat Sheet Home Detox Boot Camp  

Are you curious about what the Council Climate Emergency Declaration movement entails? Want to understand what difference it actually makes to the climate crisis? Keen to know how you can get your local council to lead in climate action? If that’s you, you’re in the right place! In this episode of Eco Chat I’m joined by Climate Reality Leader and elected member of the Gawler Town Council, Ian Tooley. Ian was instrumental in the process of Gawler Town Council becoming one of the first council’s in Australia to declare a climate emergency and shares his experience of the process. Resources: SustainabilityB42L8 Facebook Page Gawler Town Council Elected Members Climate Reality Project Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs Membership Program

I’m a tea drinker and enjoy a wide variety of herbal teas throughout the day. In fact, I often joke that there’s a tea to match my every mood! If you love tea as much as I do, and want to ensure your tea habit is as green as possible (even when you like a black cuppa), this episode is for you! I’ll share five simple ways to enjoy your cuppa, sustainably. Resources: Reusable Coffee Cups at Sustainahome Bokashi Compost Bins at Sustainahome Use discount ECOCHAT10 to receive 10% off your first order

With much of Australia in the grip of drought, and rainfall patterns changing worldwide with climate change, water restrictions and increasing water prices are becoming the norm. It makes financial and environmental sense to reduce water consumption at the household level, and it makes even more sense to start in the bathroom where consumption is often the highest. Here’s six ways to save water in your bathroom. Resources Mentioned: FREE Shower Timer FREE Cheat Sheet: 30 Ways to Save Water in and Around Your Home Cullector Water Saving Shower Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs    

Are you ready to inspire the conscious kids in your life to save the world? If you are it's time you met Captain Garbology, aka Lee Constable. Lee Constable is a presenter, producer and, most recently, children's book author with a focus on science, technology and society. As the host of Australian science TV show, Scope, she researches, writes, presents and produces segments on diverse STEM topics. Put simply, Lee is a scientific artist, or a creative scientist! Lee's book How to Save the Whole Stinkin' Planet is coming out on World Environment Day- June 5th and aims to take young readers (grade 2-6) on a garbological adventure with a superhero called Captain Garbology taking kids on a quest to become Waste Warriors with hands-on DIY activities, waste science 101 and fun quizzes! You can purchase How to Save the Whole Stinkin' Planet HERE.

Last weekend in Australia we all went to the polls to vote in our national election. It was supposed to be the climate change election. Yet, our conservative, climate-denying government was returned to office. Naturally many eco-minded voters, scientists and environmentalists were devastated and are filled with anxiety about what this means for our country and planet moving forward. In this episode I’m sharing six things I’m doing to keep me optimistic about the state of our environment in an increasingly warming world. Hopefully they inspire you to do the same or at least feel reassured that there are people out there who care deeply about the sustainability of our planet, and who are prepared to go the extra mile to conserve what’s left. Resources Click HERE to connect with me on LinkedIn Click HERE if you're a Council or Corporate and want to work together to improve the sustainability of your organisation Click HERE if you're an expert, educator or Conscious Business Builder wanting to make a bigger impact through coaching or mentoring with me

If you're keen to reduce your plastic consumption and aren't sure what alternatives are out there for shampoo, this episode is for you. I'm sharing two of my favourite plastic-free shampoo options. One is a DIY recipe I've been using with much success for years and the other is my new favourite natural solid soap shampoo bar. Both options are gentle, natural alternatives to conventional shampoos (which dry out your hair) and both are gentle on our environment. Resources:  Purchase Natural solid Shampoo bars at Sustainahome.com Use code ECOCHAT10 to save 10% off your first order.

In episode 59 of Eco Chat, Dr Kristy Goodwin shared her best tips for how to raise kids in a digital world. That was 2.5 years ago and as you'd imagine, much has changed in the world of technology since. In this episode Dr Kristy is back to share latest developments in this area, with a particular focus on how to keep our kids safe while gaming and watching YouTube. You can follow Dr Kristy Goodwin at https://drkristygoodwin.com and join her online parents portal at https://drkristygoodwin.com/switched-on-parents-portal/

In this NEWSFLASH I share where you can fond my new Podcast and Website for Conscious Business Builders. To learn more listen to the Conscious Business Builders podcast or visit www.consciousbusinessbuilders.com

If you’re concerned about our changing climate and are wondering what you can do to make a difference, this episode is for you. I’m sharing eight things you can do to help address climate change. Resources: greenHOUSE Home Energy Blitz Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs Bokashi Bins at Sustainahome

Do you want to make a BIGGER IMPACT? If you have a product or service the world needs and want to reach more people. Thousands more people. I can help you do that. In this episode I share my latest offering with you.  Conscious Business Builders is high performance coaching for established entrepreneurs who are ready to make a bigger impact. Click HERE to Apply.

Did you know that plastic straws are one of the most common items found on beaches worldwide? According to Clean Up Australia, plastic straws are the 12th most common item reported by Clean Up volunteers. Which is not surprising given that Australians use about 10 million plastic straws every day, or 3.5 billion a year!! Plastic straws are a serious health hazard for marine wildlife. They can easily become lodged in the nostrils and stomachs of marine life including turtles, birds, dolphins, fish and whales, with fatal consequences. If you’re a straw user, be part of the change and switch single use plastic straws for these four sustainable alternatives. Enter code ECOCHAT10 to SAVE 10% off your first order st Sustainahome.

Cycling is a sustainable mode of transport. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting from A to B under your own steam, or pedal power in this case. Last year, after I started working in the city three days a week, I soon grew tired of the train commute and looked in to cycle instead. And I’m so glad I did! Since I switched the train for bicycle for my 14km commute I've been getting stronger, faster and happier. Plus I'm saving loads of cash too! If your new years’ resolutions include getting fitter, saving money, or reducing your impact on the environment, this episode is for you! I’m joined by Matt Tozer from Bike Society who will share his best tips for getting into cycling, particular commuting to and from work. You can follow Bike Society via their Website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go diving in dumpsters to rescue discarded food, but you haven't been game enough to experience it for yourself? In this episode I'm chatting with my Dumpster Diving friend Dushan Popovic about what it's really like to go diving for food.  You'll discover: What kind of foods supermarkets are throwing away Tips for getting started dumpster diving The best times to go dumpster diving Safety concerns of dumpster divers How to come out to your friends as a dumpster diver. I assure you that you'll think differently after food waste after listening to this episode. Let's dive in! ;-)

If you’re keen to reduce the environmental impact of your gift giving this Christmas, you're in the right place! In this episode I'm sharing six eco gift wrap ideas. It’s possible to wrap your gift sustainably. Whether you use Santa Sacks, fabric, children’s paintings, gift bags or 100% post consumer gift wrap, there’s an eco gift wrapping option to suit everyone!

Ronni Khan is on a mission to nourish our country with rescued food. Her social / environmental enterprise Oz Harvest is on the cusp of delivering it's 100 millionth rescued meal to someone in need this Christmas. Hear how Ronni actually rescues food from institutions and redistributes it to vulnerable people through initiatives like Oz Harvest's FREE supermarket. Learn more about Oz Harvest at www.ozharvest.org You can purchase Lenny and the Ants children's book HERE.