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 po ..read more

Property prices in Australia surged 22% in 2021[1], its biggest jump since the 1980s, making home ownership an impossible dream for many. This increase coincided with crippling Covid-19-induced lockdowns across much of Australia, resulting in many small businesses permanently closing their doors and an increased pressure on housing and social services not seen in decades. Social issues aside, our planet’s resources are under continued increasing pressure by a global human population that continues to grow, despite the pandemic. Complex issues like housing affordability, climate change, exces ..read more

In 2018, after experiencing Sweden’s hottest summer on record, a 15-year-old Greta Thunberg protested alone outside the Swedish parliament with a sign saying “School Strike for Climate”, to pressure her government to meet carbon emission targets. Within a few short months millions of students would follow her lead, taking Fridays off school to protest for climate action. Before too long the movement came to my home city of Adelaide. On 20 September 2019, tens of thousands of students and adults marched together from Victoria Square to Parliament House. I was one of them. In the days leading ..read more

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 ..read more

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 Ver ..read more

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 ..read more

The most wonderful time of the year is also the most wasteful, but that needn’t be the case! In this post 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. Podcast: Play In New Window  Subscribe in Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Resources: Seasons Greenings e-guide How much food do Australians waste? Overstocking our pantries and fridges is common in Australia at the best of times; the NSW Government has reported that Australians typically toss up to 30% of the ..read more

If you’ve been feeling down about the state of the global environment, particularly after COP26 in Glasgow, this Eco Chat 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. Podcast: Play In New Window  Subscribe in Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Resources ..read more

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 cond ..read more

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 investme ..read more