The steps I am taking (in no particular order) to help save the oceans and our planet.

Step 1...I always educating myself about climate change, to find out how it affects the oceans, weather , the earth and us humans who inhabit it, and to find solutions that I and my family can do to help combat it.

I have done a few short courses on climate change, marine and antarctic science and water usage. I read articles ,watch news reports, you tube videos and documentary's to keep myself abreast of what is happening around the globe.

I decided to go to Nasa's website , to see what information they had on earths atmosphere ,and found out that i could subscribe to Nasa and be sent emails from them each month about the vital signs of the planet, that they have collected from all of their equipment and satellite readings from around the globe.

Information that is included is : Co2 emissions,(see below picture), ice melt in the artic and antarctic, landscape changes, and weather patterns.

Getting this information sent to me each month, reminds me to keep making changes, no matter how small, to carry on trying to keep my emissions down for my family's and the planets future.

Step 2 ..We got solar panels installed;

We now have nearly 3 kilowatts of solar, ( we had most of it fitted by experts, then we managed to get an extra panel which my husband and his friend installed) and we are of getting more in the near future.

We also just brought a new heat pump for our hot water usage that is 5 star energy efficient.

We use the extra solar panel to charge my husbands electric bike, my motorised wheelchair and my mobility scooter. (yes the one with the orange flag on the back that you see at the aged care homes...im only 48!)

I also use my Little Sun solar night during the night instead of turning on lights and i have a couple of solar chargers , for phones or tablets, or i charge them off my laptop while i am using the battery.

Step 3...I became a Seabin investor.

I was reading an email about start ups, and I jumped when the oppurtunity arose to become one of the first investors in the Seabin company ,so that i could make a small (i could only afford to buy $250 worth at the time ) ,but still valuable difference in cleaning up the oceans, because i myself had wished that there could be machines or bins that could collect all of the garbage that was killing all of the precious marine life , that are keeping the oceans alive and therefore ,us humans, alive in the process.

The Seabin is a sustainably built , floating garbage bin that collects macro and microplastics continuously for 24 hours a day .The waste that is captured in the bin can then be used for recycling projects , and not sent to landfill.

Seabins are now being used around the globe and can be powered by solar, wind, water and wave power .

For more information go to seabinproject.com .

.STEP 4 ..I signed up to Powershop for our electricity.

Our electricity usage is now carbon neutral .. it is 1oo percent offset at no extra cost to us and it was voted Australia's greenest power company for 3 years running ! And we also get a discount because of what our solar panels generate.

.Step 5...I dont eat fish or seafood anymore....

I have a couple of reasons for this,:

There are oil spills, nuclear waste,plastics, sewerage, toxic chemicals,being dumped in the ocean all around the globe and with currents carrying them for possibly thousands of kms,i just dont trust what could be inside the fish and seafood that we consume.

Worse still ,is what the contents of the stomachs of many marine animals and fish, does to them. Seeing pictures of turtles with straws stuck in their mouths, and whales with tonnes of plastic and other items filling them up and killing them, just makes my blood boil and my heart ache.

And over fishing leads to some fish species going extinct , and that in turn can lead to the different trophic levels of marine life ,above and below that species, being threatened as they no longer have the fish that they feed off , to stay alive .

Step 6..i use laundry sheets or soap berries instead of detergents.

They are so easy to use..just throw them in with the wash, they are biodegradable . leave no mess or spillage and you dont have to worry about disposing of the packaging as it is compostable.

Step 7.. I dont use a lot of water...

Having done a short course on water , i know that it is needed now more than ever..

So many people around the globe do not have access to clean drinking water, and the glaciers that people rely on for fresh water are now melting .

Farmers dont have enough to feed their stock, dams are at really low levels due to drought and sometimes firefighters dont have enough to fight fires , and i want to keep the catchments as full as possble in case of water shortages and having to ration our water use in summertime.

It is for these reasons that I only have one or two showers each week (no more than 3 to 4 mins) .

I will have one bath every couple of months (and i use the bath water to flush the toilet..).

I can also be a pain source with other family members as i am known for the mantra "if its yellow let it mellow ,if its brown then it drowns..". !

Sometimes when it rains i will put out some buckets and catch some rain and use that to flush the toilet or water the plants, especially if it rains in summer.

Step 8....Im making changes in regards to buying stuff and clothing..

: I am trying to buy more natural clothing ,that is made from linen ,bamboo , wool, or organic cotton..so that when i do washing there are less microfibres possibly going down the drain .

:Most of my clothes and shoes are from the op shop..

: some of our furniture is made from recycled wood, and inherited from our grandparents.

: I love buying bargain furniture at thrift shops,or buy swap sell sites, and upcycling it to make it my own and helping out charities at the same time.

i would rather pay off our mortgage or put money into savings than to buy more stuff. My new mantra is a quote i heard : ' dont buy things you cant afford, with money you dont have , to impress people you dont like."!

If i do buy something, then a bag of stuff goes to the charity shop.

Step 9..We are growing herbs and vegies and have planted more fruit trees and are eating different meats like pork, or kangaroo that have less of an impact on the environment than beef and eating a lot more vegetarian dishes.

It is such an amazing feeling to plant a seed and from it grows something that is good for you and that you can feed your family, and you dont have to worry about pesticides, whether its organic or not,or how far it travelled to get onto your plate. Or to go onto your porch and pick fresh herbs to make your own tea.

Cows for beef export take up so much farm land and they burp out methane , which is around 23 times worse than carbon dioxide (co2)..so if there is less demand for beef it is better for the environment and that is why i am eating less.

Step 10 ..We are making general household changes.

: composting

: taking plastic bags , and some packaging to redcycle.

: i have found some places to go for batteries, ewaste, paints, and other chemical or product packaging that cant go into normal recycling, so if we ever need to, we know where to go locally.

: we try and shop locally when we can.

:we use bamboo wipes that you can wash and reuse, for cleaning and have made our own cleaner, or only buy environmentally friendly ones. Vinegar , bicarb ,lemon and salt are great for cleaning and for too many other uses to list here .

:Toilet roll holders are great for seed starters!

:We have stainless steel straws and pegs , beeswax wraps to cover food,and when i go to the supermarket i try and buy things that we in packaging with lids or that are in glass jars..so that i can wash them out and reuse them . A large butter or margarine container is great for left overs , (as are take away containers), and you can chuck them in the freezer and keep them for another day, and glass jars are just so handy for so many uses. I put lots of little things in them ,for example: rubber bands , toothpicks, freshly made juice, homemade pasta sauce, i could go on and on.

:we take our own coffee in keep cups, or use them for takeaways.

: we have insulation in the walls and ceiling

; all of our light globes are energy efficient.

: not eating food with palm oil in it...I absolutley hate what is happening to the indonesion rainforests and orangatang habitats.

; buying more food from bulk stores that you can bring your own jars to, and we are buying more bulk larger size foods, so as to use less packaging.

: taking our own bags shopping.

; using the car less

:planting more flowers to attract bees. ( their populations are diminishing and we need them for pollinaton of plants, and honey!)

; saving up and buying shares in companies that do good for the planet.For example: The australian ethical fund. (AEF).

Step 11 .....I joined one million women and pledged to lower my families carbon footprint.

Founded by Natalie Isaccs, One million women endeavours to get one million women to make changes along with their families, to lower their carbon footprint and lead greener lives.

On their website 1millionwomen.com.au , you can can get loads of tips on how you can lower your carbon footprint or you can download their app.

Our next steps:

;keep saving for an electric car

: more solar panels

: a tesla? battery

; more plants, vegies and fruit trees.

: using less water and electricity

To close: i have seen the effects of climate change up close.

My husband knew that i wanted to see the Great barrier reef before its possibly to late... So he suprised me on our 20th anniversary by taking me to Hamilton Island .

The island itself was a huge suprise..there were only a couple of cars , and everyone got around on electric golf buggys and buses, I was so happy and it made me feel a little less guilty for flying there.(when we got home I brought a couple of trees for my hubby to plant to offset the trip!)

Going to the reef was bitter sweet..It is so beautiful from above ,but underneath, there was a lot of bleaching and not many fish.It broke my heart.

We have also been evacuated at least 3 times ,due to bushfires within a few kilometres of our house. It is a scary experience not knowing if the home that you have made, might not be there when you return.

Summers take on a new level of anxiety now, and we are always prepared just in case we need to leave again.

I think if we all start making little changes, then hopefully that will lead to bigger changes, in communities, cities, countries and governments around the globe.

This is our home , so we have to look after it.