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:
Sustainable Design Expert Webinar Series
Sustainability in the Suburbs by Laura Trotta – the book! Pre-order now!
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:
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
In this podcast I reflect on my recent expedition to Antarctica and my involvement in the Homeward Bound Program to date.
My experience on board with the 80-odd other women in STEMM was incredible and as life changing as being in the pristine and rugged environment of Antarctica.
In a safe and collaborative space we networked, developed strategies to lead, increase our visibility, and act on issues that align with our individual values and lift women up in the call to create change for the greater good.
If you're interested in participating in Homeward Bound register your details here.
Thanks to my sponsors Macpac, Travel with Jane and Civil Construction Partners, as well as my crowdfunding supporters, for making my participation in Homeward Bound possible.
I've decided to take a couple of weeks off the podcast to do some work behind the scenes and improve the way I do things around here.
But before I make any changes, I want to make sure I continue to cover the topics that are going to be the most helpful to YOU...
So my question to you is this:
When it comes to living sustainably, what's the single biggest challenge you've been struggling with?
Would you please CLICK BELOW to tell me so I can be sure to address your specific situation in upcoming content that I'll be creating:
Thank you so much!
Laura :-)
P.S. That question again:
When it comes to living sustainably, what's the single biggest challenge you've been struggling with?
Thanks so much!
What is crowdfunding?
How does crowdfunding work?
What are the benefits of crowdfunding?
I’ve been asked these questions and more countless times over the past year, particularly during and after my two successful crowdfunding campaigns where I raised over $37,000 upfront for sustainability projects in my business.
There are many benefits of crowdfunding. From securing funding upfront, to catapulting your profile, to testing if a business concept will fly, more and more entrepreneurs and business owners are turning to crowdfunding over traditional forms of finance. In fact, in 2015, an estimated US$34 billion worldwide was raised via crowdfunding!
In this episode I’ll explain what crowdfunding is and how it works. I’ll also share five benefits of crowdfunding (hint: only one is financial!) and why you should consider it as an option to not just raise capital, but to grow your business.
Join Confident Crowdfunding before Friday 28 July and SAVE $100 on the upfront plan with code EARLYB
I’m changing things up this week!
Rather than showcase an interview or a “how to” episode on how to live more sustainably, I thought I’d share some thoughts and reflections with you on what’s going through my head this week as I turn the big 4-0!! Plus, I wanted to let you know of a few exciting opportunities and projects on the horizon….
All too often I hear of people who are running their dream, self-sufficient home, but it’s become a nightmare.
They’re working around the house and garden more than ever, are stressed out, and what was fun and exciting when they started out has become a chore and a big weight on their shoulders.
In this episode, I’m sharing my best advice on how to build a self-sufficient home that affords you maximum freedom and flexibility (and don’t worry: this advice can be applied right from the beginning, or be used to tweak things if you’re a bit further along the path, but your self-sufficient home has begun to swallow you whole).
Click here to get your free shopping and meal planner.
If you’re wanting to live a more self-sufficient, sustainable lifestyle, it’s likely you’ll need to break some old, bad habits and replace them with new, sustainable ones.
But how do you break a bad habit?
In this episode I’ll explain why bad habits are typically hard to break. I’ll also share some tips on how you can replace an old habit with a new one.
This month has all been about Minimalist March in my Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs membership community, and so many of us have been making an effort to get on top of clutter in our homes and lives, and learn to live with less. For some of us, it’s been a bit of a struggle moving gear on, others have been ruthless and have transformed rooms very quickly. But one thing in common has been that everyone has welcomed the challenge and said how much they needed it!
Our homes have so much more clutter and stuff in them compared to homes from a generation or two ago…. and this stuff is impacting our wellbeing and the health of the environment.
Toys and consumer goods are cheaper than at any time in history… and it only takes one child’s birthday party for a room to seriously be full of stuff. Of course, much of these items will be short lived in function, but will last forever in landfill.
If we’re to truly embrace sustainability, we need to learn how to control our stuff before it control us … not to mention we need to get better at not accumulating so much stuff in the first place. To chat about decluttering, minimalism, and to help us all shift the physical and energetic clutter from our homes we’re joined by professional organiser and elemental space clearer, Helen Butler on Eco Chat today.
Helen isn’t just a guru at decluttering, she’s a recognised expert at helping women discover who they truly are through the help of their home.
If you’re trying to make a difference in the world by packing up your skills and experience into a conscious business online, then you’re in the right place.
On today’s podcast I’m going to take a week off from chatting about sustainable living to chat about another passion of mine, conscious businesses instead.
I’ll explain what exactly is a conscious business, how I’ve built two conscious businesses online that are making a positive impact in the world, plus I’ll share a few tips on how you can take your idea to impact and create a thriving and profitable conscious business online.
Register for my FREE Online "Idea To Impact" Training here.
Join in LIVE in Melbourne or Adelaide at Idea to Impact Intensive in April and May. Click here to reserve your seat.
Join the FREE Conscious Biz Creators Community on Facebook here.
Lotions and potions, deodorant, perfumes, soaps, exfoliants, shower gels, and make up: many of us probably use some or most of these products every day and may not give them a second thought.
But it’s worth giving them a second thought because the average woman applies hundreds of chemicals to her body daily, in the form of cosmetics and personal care products, and around 90% of the ingredients used these products have not been safely tested for human health effects.
While there’s a growing range of luxurious, organic body and personal care products on the market, you have almost everything you need on hand to keep yourself clean and presentable, without dosing your body with nasty chemicals, and these trusty toxin-free personal-care products are right in front of your eyes, each and every time you open your pantry or fridge.
In this podcast episode I’ll discuss why you need to be mindful of the personal care products you use and I’ll share 3 Easy Ways to Use Food for Beauty and Body Care.
So you’ve been trying hard to eat clean and reduce the additives and toxins in your diet, but are you cleaning clean?
You may not be aware of it, but the typical unassuming suburban home has hundreds, if not thousands, of chemicals contained in the cleaning products that are applied every day to windows, floors, toilets, bathrooms, carpets, furniture, crockery, glasses, clothes … even the air we breathe (!).
Just like eating the junkiest junk food, using these products to clean our home can make us feel like crap and even worse, significantly impact our health and that of our environment.
You actually have almost everything you need on hand to leave your home spick and span, without dosing your living environment with nasty chemicals, and these trusty toxin-free cleaning products are right in front of your eyes, each time you open your pantry.
In this podcast episode I’ll introduce the concept of “Clean Cleaning” with you and share 3 Easy Ways To Clean With Foods.
Hey Eco Heros,
Wow! We’ve come to the end of another year!!
Which means if you’re like most of the population, you’ll be setting some new year’s resolutions.
One of the things I like to do at this time of year is to reflect on where I’m at, where I’ve come from, and where I want to go….. in life and business in general of course, but I also like to hone in on where I’m at eco-wise.
That’s right, I set green goals.
And in this episode I’m going to share with you an easy little ritual I do that helps me clear the decks so I can start the New Year with a bang.
To work with me as you listen to this episode, download the one-page New Year’s Green Goals worksheet here and fill it out as you go along.
Let’s dive in!
Given we’re smack bang in the middle of party season I wanted to check in with you and raise the topic of ecotaining.
When I talk about ecotaining I’m referring to the process of keeping the environment in mind when you entertain your friends and family. In a nutshell it’s entertaining with real foods and being super mindful of the waste generated… be it food waste or waste from packaging, decorations and even items like plates, cutlery and cups.
It’s a topic I’m super passionate about….. that’s why I gave it a name (ecotaining!!)….. and in this episode, I want to give you a couple of super simple ideas how you can use fruits and vegetables to cut down on your party waste, including your washing up!!
Sound good?
Let’s dive in!
Well Christmas is just a couple of weeks away and I don’t know about you, but I’ve left it down to the wire and still have some gifts to organise.
If you’re in the same boat, rest assured you don’t have to drop your green values and buy the first thing you see when completing your last-minute shopping on Christmas Eve.
In this episode, I’ll discuss seven green gift ideas that are not only kinder to the planet, but will make your gift the favourite one this Christmas!
If you’re keen to perhaps even gift a membership to Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs, just a reminder that the foundation membership price ends this Friday 16th December. To join a warm and inspiring community of like-minded eco folks, be challenged to live more sustainably and be in the running for awesome eco prizes, not to mention exclusive member discounts, join me in Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs.
I’ve also put together a free ‘Seasons Greenings’ eguide that’s jam-packed with practical and simple ideas for you to enjoy a sustainable Christmas.
Just click here to get your copy!
If you celebrate Christmas, I’m sure that with less than a month to go until the big day, you’re no doubt knee-deep in present planning or purchasing mode.
Gift giving is one aspect of Christmas that can get out of hand quickly….. from a cost and a sheer volume point of view alone (let’s not even go there on waste!).
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
In this episode I’ll discuss four easy, sustainable, homemade Christmas gift ideas that won’t break the bank or send you into a spin.
I’ve put together a free ‘Seasons Greenings’ eguide that’s jam-packed with practical and simple ideas for you to enjoy a sustainable Christmas.
Just click here http://seasons-greenings.lauratrotta.com/ to get your copy!
For images of homemade gifts discussed in this episode click here.
How would three days without electricity, internet and mobile phone coverage impact your household?
Would it throw everything into turmoil? Stress you out? Or would it be an opportunity to come up for air and reflect on your lifestyle?
A few weeks ago, on Wednesday 28th September, the State of South Australia, where I live, was smashed by a massive 1 in 50 year storm that destroyed three elements of critical infrastructure and plunged the state, and its 1.7 million residents into darkness….some for a few hours, others (like my household) a few days.
Due to the scale of this event there’s not surprisingly been much finger-pointing and questions asked by the power-players (ooh love the pun!), and many, many lessons learned for the State and the main power providers.
But I also learned some lessons too.
Three days without electricity, internet and mobile phone coverage is enough to rattle any household or business in our modern fast-paced society…and my household and business were no exception.
However, I very quickly discovered that in my case, the inconvenience of the prolonged power outage was far outshined by the learnings and opportunities that came out of it……
In this episode I’ll share these learnings with you and in doing so, they might help you reflect a little on your current lifestyle.