22 Nov 2022 | 4 mins
Overview
  • Living sustainably may scare you away, so what about adapting little tweaks and habits into your routine? 🌱
  • Whether you're a full-blown activist, separating your rubbish every day to getting used to wheat straws - as long as you're conscientiously making a change, you're heading in the right direction 💚

While people turn their noses up at living sustainability as if it’s such a massive burden on their lives, you’re not going to be without the things you love and enjoy. In fact, even a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle (that you won’t even think about after the first time) will have a massive impact on your environmental footprint.

 

For transparency, I try to do my bit. I don’t support fast fashion but I wouldn't harass you for using a plastic straw - no matter which way we look at it, as long as we’re making conscientious decisions towards sustainability, we’re heading in the right direction.

As much as we want to leave the planet better than when we entered it, we don’t have to be rich, hippie tree-hugging, kombucha drinking and aluminium straw holding activists - it can be as simple as…

1. Switching imported to Australian made

It’s as easy as checking the back of a packet or label on fresh produce. All based on the time of year, Australian made produce can sometimes be cheaper. When we buy locally, the items are travelling fewer kilometres - meaning less air pollution causing climate change. Plus, this can be a time to give back to our local farmers - buy directly, buy from smaller grocers or buy in bulk!

 

2. Recycling and disposing of waste correctly

From mixed contaminated plastics to greasy pizza boxes, recycling can get a little messy and confusing. Some rules of (green) thumb:

  • You cannot recycle coffee cups
  • Soft plastics (chip packets, biscuit wrappers etc) cannot be recycled in your normal recycling bin - head to Coles or Woolworths and deposit them into a REDcycle bin
  • Your green bin can hold a lot - from bones, coffee grinds, all food scraps, garden trimmings, kitchen towels to dirty pizza boxes, tea bags - suss out how to make use of this one!
  • Suss out where to recycle batteries, mobile phones, scrap metal, clothing, printer cartridges and household chemicals in your area

3. Use public transport or walk

Walking is great for your health, as well as the health of the environment! If this isn’t an option, think about hopping on public transport - sure, it might add some time to your daily trip but driving everyday is contributing to carbon emissions, plus - who wants to pay a tonne is tolls everyday? Maybe it’s just Sydney problems but dang, they are a pretty penny.

4. Keep a tote or enviro bags in your boot

Plastic bags from stores can be hard to come by nowadays but if you do stumble across one, say no. I’m sure there’ll be someone reading this thinking “but they’re already made” - the demand and production for plastics will stop when we stop!

 

The more you adapt these and things alike, the easier it’ll be to live sustainably!

While making a conscientious effort and investing in making the world a better place, you can become better off by investing in your future finances with Super Aware - learn all about how your super works for you and how it impacts the world around you! Sustainability, finances and your super annuation all go hand in hand 🤝