Activists That Inspire Us - Laura Wells

This year, our commitments to being even more sustainable and helping you be sustainable too, is our number one priority.

We’ll be introducing activists from around the world that inspire us to do better and learn about their journeys campaigning for a better planet.

Meet Laura Wells!

Laura is an Environmentalist, presenter and one of Australia’s top plus size models. Holding degrees in both Biology and Law, qualifications in Environmental management systems and currently studying a Diploma of Paramedical Science; Laura’s passion for the environment, love for the ocean and interest in facilitating climate change action has led her to become a positive role model, advocate and ambassador for change.

Laura believes in the importance of educating people not only on the issues, but focusing on solutions, to empower individuals to create change. Whether this be in their personal sphere around the relationship with their body and who they are, or the impact their actions have on the environment; fostering behavioural change can facilitate improvements in environmental and human health simultaneously.

“The future is not something that will merely occur, it is something we are creating- let's create a healthy, sustainable masterpiece for future generations”

Who inspired you to become environmentally focused?

I am constantly inspired by the people around me working in conservation and those that are future-thinking.

I tend to surround myself with people who share the same values as me so I am constantly bombarded by great ideas and community thinking.

I would definitely say that David Attenborough, Sylvia Earle and Rachel Carson inspired me in my early life and University days to create change.

Were you a sustainable family growing up?

I wouldn’t say my family was particularly sustainably minded growing up. We participated in recycling and we were water-conscious, which I feel was pretty standard for the times. My sustainability principles really came later in life when I learnt more about the environment, ecosystems, and how our everyday actions affect the future of our planet.

What big/small changes have you made to be more sustainable in your life?

I started with small changes like limited and reducing my plastic use, composting my food scraps and educating myself on where my waste was going and the emissions it was creating.

Once I had mastered this I moved to bigger ideas, but actually easier to enact actions, like switching my super and bank accounts to ethical companies that don’t invest in fossil fuels. This is something everyone can do straight away and make a huge difference to our future!

Has the environment always been a big part of your life?

I grew up spending time outdoors at the beach and in national parks as a kid, and during university I really grew my love for the underwater world. The environment plays a huge role in my lifestyle and happiness. I spend time in nature to regenerate, explore and learn. It will always be a part of my life and curiosity and a source of creativity.

What tips can you give your community to help make changes in their daily lives?

Educate yourself. That’s first and foremost, understand why making these changes are important to yourself and the future. Once you understand you can enact with more intent.

But start small with achievable goals. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Changing habits and lifestyles is difficult, but absolutely doable.

Would you consider working with brands that did not align with your sustainability values? Is this important to you?

I vet the brands I work with to ensure we have the same principles and goals. This is important to me to ensure we are protecting the environment and creating a a better future for everyone.

However, working with big corporations that may not have had good sustainability principles in the past but are willing to change and are Serious about it is not off my radar, as to really enact change for the benefit of our climate requires the big corporations to come on board.