Hi, I’m Hazel! Thanks so much for taking the time to read my story. Firstly I feel I should explain my awkward pose in this photograph! I’m pretty tall (178cm actually) and the photographer was struggling to get the right angle so I said I’d help by crouching down! Turns out it doesn’t really make for a good pose!

But anyway, I want to explain a little bit about myself and why I decided to set up Little Eco Shop. I’ve always been “eco-conscious” and I owe this to my mum. She always taught me to be resourceful and mindful of what I consume and for this I am grateful. I’ve carried it with me and ultimately it has led me here, opening my very own Little Eco Shop. I want to pass on that mantra to as many people as I can so that future generations don’t suffer from our mistakes.

Prior to setting up Little Eco Shop I worked as an environmental scientist within a team of contaminated land specialists. As much as I enjoyed my role, it wasn’t the right role for me during that stage of my life (juggling 2 young kids and a travelling husband) so I decided to leap into the unknown and pursue my dream of running my own online eco store. But I shouldn’t take all the credit. My husband, Ian, has put in as much work as I have. He is my sounding board, my website designer and my accountant all rolled into one!

Our vision is to promote sustainability and encourage Australians to be environmentally aware and conscious of the amount of plastic that is used and discarded unnecessarily. No one likes seeing millions of pieces of plastic entering our waterways and oceans causing so many sea creatures to perish. We are here to help spread the word that we can all take one eco step towards making a more sustainable planet.