• Culture

5 minutes with Laura Wells

The environmentalist and model shares her sustainable living hacks

Even if you’ve never heard the name Laura Wells, chances are you probably know her. The Marine Biologist – who also happens to be an international plus-size model and TV presenter – has worked with everyone from the likes of Take 3 for the Sea, Greenpeace, 1 Million Women, WWF Australia and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). And most recently she’s been working with National Geographic’s National Geographic Eco Traveller series to educate all of us on the effects of travel on the environment. 

From supporting socially conscious brands to using our voice for change (such as writing letters to members of government or striking up conversations in your local community), she says we all have the power to make a difference. 

“There’s no borders when it comes to our oceans and our air so what happens in other countries affects us everywhere. No matter where we go we’re leaving a footprint,” she tells us.

Here are a few of her fool-proof sustainable living hacks;

OFFSET YOUR CARBON 

“I always offset my flight whether that’s through the airline or through an external company,” explains Laura. But it’s not just flights you can offset, you can in fact offset everyday activities like hot water, or driving your car, she adds. These funds are then diverted into environmental initiatives.

“There’s plenty of off-setting companies you can use, but as long as they’re gold standard they’re reputable. They should have a calculator on their (websites) to work out how much to offset depending on where you’ve been or what you want to offset. I use Powershop for my electricity, which is a green energy company. 

BE A SMART TRAVELLER 

“I always have my reusables when I travel because I travel a lot for work and there’s often a lot of plastic involved. I’ll have a reusable cup, cutlery, water bottle and coffee cup. They’re my staples. I also include a reusable bag and container, as well as toothbrush,’’says Laura. “I also travel with headphones and an eye mask so I don’t have to open and use new ones on the plane.” 

CHANGE ONE THING AT A TIME 

“I think small change works. Small change adds up and it allows the person to achieve something and then move onto the next. One thing isn’t enough but once people achieve that first small thing, they can move on to the next and the next, building up to 365 small things. They are also influencing people around them to do the same. They don’t need to do that by screaming from the mountain tops, they’re just leading by example.”

RALLY YOUR LOCAL POLITICIAN 

“We need strong policy and legislation around climate change. We really need an emissions trading scheme, putting a price on carbon. And we need leaders who won’t pander to big corporations and who look to the future.

RELATED; The 6 things Megan Gale swears by for living mindfully

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