Since Ecoliv formed in 2009 as an industry leader in building sustainable homes, sustainable living has been at the heart of everything we do. In recent years, we’ve seen the community embrace so many different sustainability trends and environmentally friendly initiatives from solar panels to councils introducing organic waste collections and more recently, major supermarket chains are banning the single-use plastic bag. Together with ABC TV’s War on Waste program, there are many growing ways we can all protect and improve the environment.
With so many options and so much information, where do you turn for advice and inspiration? There’s plenty of information on slow living, sustainable building materials and sustainable renovations out there covering everything from a plastic-free life to sustainable decorating, but not all information is enjoyable to read or trustworthy. Instead of boring articles, we’ve rounded up nine of our favourite eco friendly bloggers who all do their part in living a sustainable life.
Also on the blog: sustainable travel trends.
Eco Warrior Princess
In the kingdom of eco bloggers, this princess reigns supreme. Leaving behind a successful corporate life in Melbourne, Jennifer Nini now lives off-the-grid on a farm 250km north of Brisbane, and founded Eco Warrior Princess in 2010. Her website is a one stop shop for all eco and sustainable living topics, from eco-travel to how-to-wash microfibres, sustainable gardening and how Instagram stifles creativity. With a refreshingly straight-forward style (she describes the approach as analytical, intelligent and honest … without the BS) it’s a great place to start if you want to explore ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Onyalife
If you’re keen to deep-dive into a specific aspect of sustainable living – for example, finding an alternative to single-use plastic, then a blog like onyalife.com is perfect. As well as stocking a range of alternative packaging, including sustainable sandwich wraps, bulk buy bags and eco friendly coffee cups, their blog tackles subjects as diverse as choosing a vegetarian way of life, repurposing household items and being eco-friendly in a school setting. It’s our go-to when we have a specific problem we want to find an answer to!
Sustainability In Style
The Sustainability in Style blog came about in 2013 when Katie Roberts decided to take a year-long hiatus from shopping. While she focuses mainly on how to give your wardrobe a sustainable make-over, it has now expanded to include advice on the home, garden, food and beauty.
Sustainable House
From Chippendale in the inner city of Sydney, follow Michael’s story of his sustainable, off-grid lifestyle. His blogs offer advice on solar systems, living with low bills, efficient household appliances and green energy. Michael is living proof that you don’t have to escape to the country or live in a tree house to completely revolutionise your relationship with energy and the environment; something that Ecoliv Buildings promote in our award-winning prefab sustainable homes that can be delivered in the city or countryside.
Laura Trotta
Backed by some impressive credentials – a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering and a Master of Science in Environmental Chemistry – Laura Trotta has established a formidable reputation as one of Australia’s leading home sustainability experts. She tackles the big picture and the everyday issues with equal enthusiasm. If you’re interested in broadening your knowledge about the impact of microbeads on our oceans, the most sustainable meat to eat, all-natural cleaning products or the issues with the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ campaign, this is the blog for you.
The Rogue Ginger
Even if this wasn’t an excellent website for all your eco friendly needs, we’d recommend it on the name alone! Melbourne woman, Erin Rhoads traces her journey as she swapped her ”over-packaged plastic life for a smarter kinder one”. The site is really well set up for an inquisitive beginner, leading you through concepts such as plastic-free and zero waste, compost, bulk food shopping, food co-ops and general eco-activism.
Gippsland Unwrapped
As we move a little closer to home, Tammy Logan is based in the Victorian country town of Gippsland and has also documented her journey to achieve a zero-waste lifestyle. The site includes a fabulous list of Gippsland options for eco friendly shopping, recycling, reusing and repairing.
Alternative Technology Association (ASA)
If you’re serious about building a sustainable house, the Alternative Technology Association (ASA) produces high quality magazines, Sanctuary: modern green homes and ReNew: technology for a sustainable future. Both sites hold impressive article archives full of fabulous information sure to inspire. The ASA also host an annual Sustainable House Day in September. Ecoliv Buildings will proudly support this event.
Online magazines to look out for include Green Lifestyle Magazine and My Green Australia
These digital magazines are both great resources for researching sustainable living trends and options, particularly in areas of science, technology and design. Like traditional lifestyle magazines, they also contain tips and advice (with a decidedly green bent) for the garden and the home, as well as recipes, remedies and more. We’re particularly fond of the useful restaurants guide so that we can always get our yummy food fix without ruining the earth.
