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Ethical living

October

The Happy House in Nepal.

This humble ‘house’ in Nepal has lured celebrities and revived a village

Buy the stunning hand-woven rugs of Phaplu that grace the floors of Happy House, or wander down the road to watch the ateliers at work.

  • Nina Karnikowski
Since 2020, The Reconnect Project has diverted 5000 kilograms of devices from landfill.

Ever wondered what companies do with their old laptops and iPhones?

Sydney entrepreneur Annette Brodie creates new opportunities for obsolete tech via her social enterprise The Reconnect Project.

  • Hannah Tattersall
Ladakhi women herding dzos and dzomos in Zanskar, Ladakh India

What makes this Himalayan valley so alluring is its inaccessibility

In Ladakh’s fabled Zanskar Valley, remote villages, dramatic landscapes and ancient monasteries await adventurers. But will a new highway destroy the remote culture drawing visitors to the region?

  • Nina Karnikowski

August

Green super is facing headwinds as consumers fail to translate their personal values into investments.

Green super: Why investors hesitate to walk the talk

Lower investment returns and concerns about greenwashing are proving strong headwinds for green super.

  • Michelle Bowes

February

Engineer Estrelia Diaz thinks the world needs to get itself in order.

The people choosing not to have kids because of climate change

As global temperatures continue to race past previously acceptably levels, Millennials are grappling with the question: ‘Can I promise my child a future?’

  • Lucy Dean
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November 2023

Justine Aldersey-Williams grew the flax and spun the thread to make her own jeans.

Growing my own jeans took three years and cost more than $15,000

A textiles teacher set out to make a pair of zero-emission pants. It was a lot harder than she thought it would be.

  • Fleur Britten
Unilever brands include Dove soap, which it once marketed by advocating for acceptance of different body shapes.

Unilever gives up pretending soap is virtuous

The food and toiletries manufacturer is turning away from claims that its products are good for humanity.

  • Matthew Lynn
Lauren Langfield took the WineMaker of the Year gong at the Young Gun of Wine Awards.

How a bunch of new grapes has made this winery the one to watch

The move to less-mainstream, more climate-adapted varieties is all part of the owners’ plan to make the McLaren Vale winery Orbis as sustainable as possible.

  • Max Allen

October 2023

That ‘ethical’ smoothie you love is made by a giant plastic polluter

Innocent markets itself as creating healthy products as sustainably as possible. Few consumers know it is owned by Coca-Cola.

  • Will Dunn

August 2023

 Intellihub CEO

This device can save you hundreds on your hot water

Electricity smart meters will increasingly be used to make home energy use more efficient.

  • Christopher Niesche
Manly-based entrepreneur Justin Cameron, who is also executive chairman at Think Better Group which has created a platform of sustainable brands from nappies to oat milk products.

SurfStitch founder snags $42m from ABN AMRO for sustainable retail biz

Justin Cameron’s new investor joins other high-profile backers KKR’s David Lang, Investible’s Trevor Folsom and Kardinia Capital’s Kristiaan Rehder.

  • Carrie LaFrenz

July 2023

Kathmandu’s Shasta O’Loughlin in a Redu puffer jacket.

The fashion brand selling clothes otherwise destined for the bin

Returns are a headache for retailers and a sustainability nightmare. A pilot program by Kathmandu aims to repair damaged clothing to sell again.

  • Lauren Sams
The initiative is being sold as a way to reduce waste.

This airline will rent you clothes for just $41, so you can go bag free

Japan Airlines and Sumitomo will rent travellers a set of clothes – in smart, smart casual or mixed – so they can arrive unencumbered by baggage.

  • Supriya Singh

June 2023

The ComCrop rooftop garden in Singapore. The city’s heat, pricey real estate and electricity pose extra challenges.

Why this Rich Lister is farming Singapore’s rooftops

Peter Barber made his money in video production but is now focused on his moonshot project – farming on top of buildings in one of Asia’s busiest cities.

  • Updated
  • Emma Connors
Renewable energy storage firm RedEarth co-founder Charlie Walker.

Nigel Sharps’ Dragonfly Enviro Capital rattles tin for $50m

The fund, which launched last year, aims to deploy the money into high-growth impact-focused businesses. It’s targeting a return of 20 per cent per annum.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
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Consumer expectations around sustainability are increasingly faster outpacing the corporate ambitions,. said Paul Polman.

Having environmental targets is no longer enough: ex-Unilever chief

Paul Polman ran the multinational consumer goods conglomerate for almost a decade. He says consumer expectations are increasing outpacing corporate ambitions.

  • Sally Patten

May 2023

Upside Down House by Alexander Symes’ who makes a feature of the key conservation elements of his designs.

What would you pay for a sustainable home?

Environmental guilt and rising energy costs are fuelling interest among buyers for sustainable living. And, it seems they’re prepared to pay a premium for it.

  • Zoe Dare Hall

How this Melbourne chef made fine dining sustainable

Jason Staudt is a chef on a mission: he is always on the lookout for ways to do more for the planet while also producing fabulous food.

  • Paul Best
Grace Forrest in London ahead of the launch of the Global Slavery Index.

From fashion to solar panels, taint of slavery stalks firms

Grace Forrest’s Walk Free has documented $26 billion of goods coming into Australia that could have forced labour in their supply chains.

  • Hans van Leeuwen
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will push the roundtable group to consider how a wholesaler could be structured.

Budget pledges $100m for social impact fund

The Treasurer says an upcoming investor roundtable will examine how institutional investors could provide wholesale capital to fund social services.

  • James Eyers

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/ethical-living-hpj