On first impressions, the UK and Europe are much more advanced in taking action to help the environment. The Tate Gallery has declared a “climate and ecological emergency”. There is rewinding occurring on the southern entrance, and I did my bit in collecting a handful of plastic for the bin. Every piece, every action, no how small, helps.

Arrived in London en route to Paris for the Hello Tomorrow and Change Now conferences. Very exciting! Had a look at the Tate Modern gallery. Some amazing and massive artworks made out of bottle tops linked together. Also a bees/wasps/insect hotel installed in fenced off trees out the front.

On Wednesday 13th, the last day before leaving to France and the conferences, I spent an hour removing about 50 regrowth glycine vines and a bag of rubbish from the biobasin. I’m researching the number of native trees I’ll need to plant to offset the 3.4ton of CO2 my flights will generate. Saving the planted trees from vines is just as important as planting.

We have recently bought a small place at an EcoVillage called 'The Cape' at Cape Paterson. We look after the native plants around the village by regularly tending to weeds and picking up rubbish. We grow many of our own vegetables and we have a self sufficient power supply from solar panels and a battery. Last weekend I spent a half day walking around the village clearing paths of weeds as my small contribution the community. We have a mob of kangaroos who live close by so we do our best to make the place as kangaroo and wildlife friendly as possible.

I have planted more than 500 heliconias on my block where I live last 6 years. I hope they help with reducing carbon. I wish China and India plant them in the city.

Planted indigenous flora to bring back fauna.

More vines popping up every day

Waiting for a ferry to go to Karragarra Island. Thought I’d pick up the bits of rubbish. Every bit of positive action helps.

Always new rubbish from 7/11, KFC and Starbucks. Cleaned up as much as I could on my walk.

I love the bush grounds at the Sleeman Sporting centre at Chandler. Dropping off my girls for a school swimming carnival. A really caring team of gardeners. Native plantings, weed control and nest boxes everywhere, including car parks, for bats, birds and gliders. Imagine if this gold standard was replicated Brisbane wide, private and public, in time for the Olympics and Paralympics. Visitors and tourists will be impressed with nature in our city.

Walking with my daughter to the local bakery. Picked up a couple of plastic bags that would end up in the drains with approaching rain. Took no time to do, but feel good in making a positive difference, no matter how small.

today i realised i didn’t have a vase for my flowers so i reused a plastic bottle, reusing plastic bottles is a great idea as each one you reuse, is saving it from staying in a land fill for thousands of years… it’s a great and innovative idea that will save you money and the environment