Carbon Neutrality in Practice

Andrea Bassett has worked in climate change, environmental law and corporate sustainability across three continents. Initially viewing environmental degradation as an issue that required the firm hand of the law, her career has allowed her to explore different levers for change in not only regulatory compliance but also corporate voluntary initiatives, responsible investing, and community grassroot action. Andrea has worked in a variety of sectors including media, finance, cement, and local government. Backed by degrees in Science and Law, she enjoys the intersection between the two disciplines and has a strong foundation in technical carbon accounting, climate change reporting, and offsetting to reach net zero. As the City of Adelaide’s Principal Climate Change Advisor she is helping craft the next phase of action for the City on its pathway to becoming carbon neutral.

Malcolm Leask was born into a wine-growing and agricultural family, but for most of his life so far, has trod a different path. After a career in horticulture, beverages and hospitality, Mal joined his brother Richard in founding Hither & Yon in 2011, being responsible for strategy, product and marketing, team and environment. The family also has a vineyard management and livestock business, Leask Agri and Vale Meat Co, based in the Fleurieu and South East. Mal is very happy to be at home in McLaren Vale with his wife Kelly and two young boys, Abel and Eli, and terrier Tam.

Ken Long is motivated to create a positive quality of life for people and ecological communities through regenerative built environments. Ken is the South Australian Sustainability Lead in the Built Environment with Mott MacDonald, a Green Star Accredited Professional and an Ambassador of the Living Building Challenge. Ken’s experience encompasses multiple facets of sustainable design consultancy and advisory for projects of all scales. This includes design optimisation, building performance simulation, biophilic design integration, green building ratings and life cycle analysis. With qualifications in Architecture, Sustainable Design and Ecologically Regenerative Design, Ken facilitates a holistic systems thinking approach to design problems. Alongside his professional development, Ken is very active in promoting and advocating for sustainable built environments within the SA community and development industry. As the Chairperson of the Adelaide Sustainable Building Network, Ken helps facilitate opportunities for people to engage with concepts of sustainable design and be inspired to implement them.

Daniel Walsh started Reforest in 2018 with the aim of enabling everyone to play a meaningful and rewarding part in restoring the planet. As a concerned citizen and a father, Daniel was tired of feeling frustrated by the slow pace of change and the lack of ways for people to have an impact on that. ‘Offsetting’ was the only option available to deal with unavoidable carbon emissions, but he realised that for himself and many other people, this was too vague and intangible to feel meaningful. So he left behind a career in the healthcare industry to create a way for every business and individual to take tangible, personal action that actually helps drive a faster shift towards a regenerative economy, and which rewards them for their action.