Quick Win: How to quit single-use waste - even when you're travelling

What if I told you that one simple kit could make your work and travel more sustainable - without adding extra hassle? 

The best eco-friendly habits are the ones that fit seamlessly into your daily routine. But when you’re hopping between shared workspaces, traveling for business, or just navigating a busy schedule, it’s easy to fall back on single-use plastics and convenience items. 

In this Quick Win episode, Lottie Dalziel, sustainability advocate, author, and NSW Young Australian of the Year, shares a practical strategy to reduce waste and make more conscious choices on the go. 

Lottie and I discuss: 

• The Single-Use Quitter Kit—what it is and how it helps you cut waste effortlessly 

• Simple swaps to make your workspace and travel habits more eco-friendly 

• Why small changes add up, especially when they inspire those around you 

Listen to the full interview with Lottie here. 

Connect with Lottie via her website, Instagram, Tiktok, and LinkedIn. Check out Lottie’s book 365+ Ways to Save the Planet and Your Money at the Same Time 

 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) 

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at [e-mail] 

  

Credits: 

Host: Amantha Imber 

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
When you're on the go a lot, it can be
hard to be environmentally friendly, like shared workspaces, Hopping on
planes for business travel, or even just traveling for holidays
can leave us using a bit more power or grabbing
a single use coffee cup because we forgot to pack
our keep cup. I mean it's often the easier choice,
right Well, according to Lotti DL, there is a simple

(00:23):
strategy that you can start using today to be more
environmentally conscious and save a bit of money too. Lotti
is a sustainability advocate who was named the twenty twenty
three New South Wales Young Australian of the Year and
featured on Forbes' thirty Under thirty list. She has made
all her knowledge accessible in her book three hundred and

(00:44):
sixty five plus Ways to Save the Planet and your
money at the same time, and I can tell you
it is a great read. Now, Lotty has a plan
we can all use to minimize our impact and save
money while on the go, and it's called the Single
Use quitter Kit. Welcome to How I Work, a show

(01:09):
about habits, rituals and strategies for optimizing your dat I'm
your host, doctor Amantha Imper. When you're in a shared workspace,
you don't have much control over the lighting or the
air conditioning and all the other things that use up
a lot of power. So to start off, I wanted
to know what does Lottie suggest we can do individually

(01:33):
to reduce out impact in these situations.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, I think a really good one when it comes
to your impact when you're in a shared what work
environment is single use plastics. So if you're a coffee drinker,
are you using a reusable cup? Are you bringing your
own reusable water bottle? For example, if you're somebody who
gets takeaway for lunch, when you are buying your takeaway
lunch items, are you buying them in plastic packaging? Can

(02:03):
you bring your own container? If you can't bring your
own container, can you bring your own knife and fork?
Just small things that mean that you're cutting down on
that plastic usage that little bit more. And also I
do find like when you bring your own coffee cup,
you're often getting fifty cents off as well. It's great,
it's amazing, But when you are in a shared workplace
as well, I think one thing that people underestimate is

(02:26):
your role as a role model. If you're bringing your
reusable cup, or you're bringing your own water bottle. You're
letting everybody else know in that shared office environment that yes,
they can bring theirs for it too, and maybe they
just needed a little reminder to oh, yeah, I do
have a reusable cup at home that I can bring
in to have my coffee.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
It reminds me of something you write about in your book,
which I'm going to hold up even though people are
probably listening. Three hundred and sixty five plus ways to
save the planet and your money at the same time.
It was such a good book, Lottie. I've just scribbled
all over it. It's oh my gosh. It is a
wealth of information and just very, very practical, so I

(03:06):
loved it. One of the things you suggest is creating
a single use quitter kit. Can you explain exactly what
that is?

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, no, thank you so much, and try and say
single use quitter kit five times. That's really roll off
the tongue at all. But it is that kind of thing.
I find. Organization is one of the biggest things when
it comes to saving money in the planet. It's often
when we're caught in a pinch that we're going to
be consuming the single use plastics spending more money on things.

(03:36):
So building this quitter kit, what I like to say,
is a way to kind of just know that you've
got things with you that are going to help you.
So for example, it is a tote bag or some
kind of bag. It is a water bottle, it's a
reusable coffee cup. For me, it's a knife and fork.
It doesn't have to be a fancy bamboo one that
looks all schmicking perfect to matching. Mine is a knife

(03:57):
and fork from my kitchen that I just carry around
with me. If it is somemer mini include a straw
as well. Also could include a handkerchief. I find these
are just so handy in case you need a napkin
or anything like that. A bit of a manner at heart.
And for me, it's also a reasonable produce bag because
this can just be great for those little bits and pieces.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
I want to talk about sustainable travel choices because I
imagine you probably do a lot of travel for work,
and I think, you know, when I'm traveling, you know,
I think about offsetting, you know, like buying carbon credits
to offset my flights. And inventing Him is a b
corporation as well, so we do try to think about

(04:37):
these kinds of things. But what are some things that
maybe people might not have thought of that are just
easy hacks when we are traveling for work or for
play to have less of an impact on the environment.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
No, I definitely agree with you there. It's one of
these things when you are traveling a lot. For me,
I'm quite conscious of my consumption still. I think there's
two things you need to think about. First and foremost
is that, yes, you're out of your routine, it's going
to be slightly different and coming to terms with the
fact that you are going to consume a little bit
more than usual, but also not giving yourself a complete

(05:12):
get out of jail free card. So for me, that
single use critic kit is still coming with me. I
am using my reusable cup when I get a cup
of tea on the plane, for example, when I have
a glass of wine on the plane, it goes into
that reusable cup. But also if I am staying at
things like hotels and things like that, I'm using only
what I need. I'm not getting daily laundry service, I

(05:35):
am not getting I don't know, those mini little shampoos
and things like that. You just need to think about
the footprint that you want to leave behind on this planet,
and also just in general, do you need that item?
Do you need to be consuming that? And when I
am traveling, I love utilizing public transport and walking because

(05:55):
I want to feel a part of the community. I
want to feel like I am a part of where
where I'm traveling too, And by walking and catching public transport,
I think that's a really great part. Cabs they're expensive,
they're not great for the planet, whereas catching buses, trains,
it's pretty simple to kind of understand that our impact
is going to be a lot less when it comes

(06:16):
to transport as well. And then when I am traveling,
I am that person that's getting a table for one
and dining out. Yes, it's easy to sit in your
hotel room and order takeaway, but for me again, getting
out there experiencing whatever there is around, meeting the locals.
But dining in means that I'm going to save on

(06:36):
those single use plastics, save on however that item was
going to get to my door, and it just helps me,
I think, as well, feel a little bit more normal
when I'm traveling.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
I hope you enjoyed this quick win with Lottie. If
you'd like to listen to the full interview, you can
find a link to that in the show notes. If
you like today's show, make sure you get follow on
your podcast app to be alerted new episodes drop. How
I Work was recorded on the traditional land of the
Warringery people, part of the Coulan nation.