#ShapeOurFuture

While we’re scrolling, swiping and texting whenever we want, the cell towers and data centres our phones are connected to are producing carbon emissions through the electricity they use. Thankfully, there are new carbon-neutral mobile plans that let us enjoy our phones and reduce our impact at the same time.

Did you know that if all households were to switch to solar, that’s equivalent to taking all forms of transport off the road? If you’re a homeowner, there are government subsidies that will fund the installation of solar panels on your house to help offset your usage. If you’re renting, choose projects and products that use solar power, switch to a green energy provider, or join a community solar project.

Bees, butterflies and pollinating birds are crucial to our global food security. One-third of the food we consume and 80% of flowering plants need pollination to do their thing. By choosing plants that attract native pollinators, your flowers and veggies will thrive while offering pollinators a place to rest and feed as they move around our cities.

We all love clothes, but clearly, we don’t love them enough because each of us is sending an average of 23 kgs of textile waste to landfill each year. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, that’s 85% of all textiles purchased end up in landfill. This switch is easy: choose high-quality clothing that lasts, only donate wearable clothing and find a textile recycling service for anything stained or unwearable. And give your old wardrobe a good once-over every few months — you may find some gems in there that you can roll out again, instead of purchasing new clothes.

Did you know that on average, one-third of all food produced globally goes to waste? Choosing to be conscious of the amount you buy and cook, as well as always eating leftovers, is a good place to start. Disposing of your food scraps into a worm farm or compost heap will help your garden thrive while also greatly reducing the amount of food that ends up in landfill.

Bicycles. Electric scooters. Public transport. Electric cars. Walking. There are so many ways we can reduce our impact on the environment by choosing to reduce our reliance on cars and fossil fuels. Transport like walking or cycling is good for your health too!

In 2017, ABC TV’s War On Waste program showed us the extremes of our single-use plastic addiction by filling a Melbourne tram with 50,000 disposable coffee cups — the number Australians were using in just 30 minutes each day. It’s still a confronting image today. Simply by switching to a reusable coffee cup, and taking it with you every day, you can help greatly reduce waste sent to landfill. But don’t’ stop there. Use reusable shopping bags, rechargeable batteries, and say no to single-use utensils.

Not just for Earth Hour, but anytime you can. Put on a jumper before turning on the heater. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Use natural light when possible. Turn off the TV when nobody is watching it. Don’t leave devices charging all night. Do everything you can to turn off the power and help #ShapeOurFuture.