Rosella Street’s Impact Tracker lets you see how your shopping habits are impacting the environment. Photo: Rosella Street.
Rosella Street’s sustainable marketplace users can see exactly how they’re reducing their carbon footprint and helping to save the planet – thanks to the new Impact Tracker.
Whether it’s selling unwanted items, renting out goods or offering free services, the online tracker will keep a tally of the positive effect individuals and groups are having on their communities and the environment.
Rosella Street director and founder Sammy Williamson says the tracker monitors the weight of recycled goods that have avoided going into landfill – the number of “Acts of Good Karma” – and the total amount of funds donated towards tree planting projects.
Sammy says the metrics allow users to see the positive impact their choices are having.
“An average of four kilograms of waste is saved from landfill per rental on the Rosella Street online marketplace,” she says.
“By keeping unnecessary items out of landfill, users can reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and give their unwanted items an extended lifetime.
“Rosella Street is a way to significantly reduce items going into landfill as well as the negative impacts that come with new item manufacturing.”
Sammy says the Impact Tracker’s “Acts of Good Karma” module tallies listings that can potentially brighten someone else’s day, such as free listings, answering a shout out for goods or services, and offering time or support for no money in return.
“These benefits will be seen instantly with our Impact Tracker and felt long-term.”
Canberran communities, including universities, councils, schools and housing estates, have embraced the Rosella Street platform.
Sammy says the recent expansion into the Sydney market has also been successful.
“We’ve recently launched groups at the University of NSW, Curtin University and Monash Uni,” she says.
“The significant expansion allows universities to start circular economy groups for students to get access to items in a more economical and environmentally friendly way, such as the student thrift group at University of Canberra.”
Students are reducing their carbon footprint by clothes swapping and providing year-long access to textbooks and uniforms plus selling or hiring furniture for residents via the marketplace.
“The uptake by students across Australia has been tremendous,” Sammy says.
“They have loved the way you can find what you need, chat to other students and safely transact all in one place.”
Other community groups have jumped on the bandwagon, with councils across Australia supporting the creation of Rosella Street groups in their local government areas (LGAs) to help coordinate more efficient use of resources and inspire their neighbourhoods to take climate action.
Sammy says Rosella Street offers cost-effective shopping and contributes to the circular economy concept.
“We’re cementing our work as circular economy enablers by procuring excess materials and products or waste materials and products to recirculate back into the economy and create new value,” she says.
“You can score some free items, rent expensive items that you only occasionally need and earn extra money from your unused items.”
Unlike a linear economy, a circular economy aims to close the loop by retaining the value of raw materials, components and products for as long as possible.
“This can reduce environmental impacts of production and consumption to a minimum while being a catalyst to boost innovation and drive our economy forward,” Sammy says.
The Canberra and extended community will benefit from the marketplace platform, which offers safety integrity and gives people a practical way to help each other and the environment.
“This is a scam-free online space to connect.
“Through our secure payment system and ID verification, there’s no more awkward conversations where you feel uneasy to provide someone with your bank account details, or arrive to a meeting point with a stack of cash.”
Simply create your own Rosella Street group and sign up to sell, swap, buy or offer services.
Organisations that already trade, procure, sell or even own assets, are also encouraged to be part of Rosella Street to improve their efficiency and track their positive impact with the online reports.
Start reducing your carbon footprint by signing up to Rosella Street where you might find a bargain too.
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