“You’re so tall!” This is the most common thing people say to me when they see me in person for the first time and for the past three weeks I have travelled the country on a nationwide tour to promote the launch of my first book. I have met A LOT of people; I am feeling very tall.

The tour was the most cup filling, exhausting, stimulating, chaotic, reflective, month of my life. Aside from being told how tall I am in real life, I met hundreds of people with grins that reached their earlobes, passions that would make the most cynical of people feel hope for our world, and I fell in love with Aotearoa New Zealand all over again.

The key purpose of my tour was, of course, to sell books and generally make people aware of the fact I WROTE A BOOK. But the extra intent was to connect people, fill the country with inspiration, and bring a bunch of laughs. Judging by the feedback and the photos of the events, I think we achieved that!

One of the key factors that made our tour so smooth was the vehicle we travelled in. Tim and I toured in a Volkswagen Plug-In Hybrid, known as Fran the Multivan. I cannot imagine doing such a fast and full on trip in another vehicle. We needed heaps of space to transport all our event props, comfort to get us through back-to-back long driving days, plus we wanted to consume less petrol of course. To be honest we didn’t find as many charging stations as I hoped to. Back in November 2020 I had no trouble travelling the country in a fully electric vehicle, but Fran the Multivan has a different type of plug - a rarer kind. Regardless, we still reduced our petrol consumption drastically. We spent approximately $800 on petrol and travelled over 4,000km. The simple things like assisted cruise control, plenty of cup/snack storage, and CarPlay (so our devices linked up whenever we got in the car) made a world of difference. I was also surprised at how she handled the road. Tim and I both expected Fran the Multivan to feel more like a truck as she is quite big! But she felt more like a high car to drive and wasn’t as much of a nightmare in parking lots as I feared!

We’re so grateful to Volkswagen for lending us Fran, and you can read more about her here.

Throughout the book tour I spoke at 14 events. 4 book signings, 6 events (including the Queenstown Writers Festival), and 4 main evening events that were hosted by myself and my husband Tim. During the tour, my main focus was to elaborate on the title of the book and truly solidify what the words on the cover mean.

Better: Living life more sustainably is better for us in many ways! Emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and socially. This word also refers to my belief that every single one of us, no matter who we are, can life life a little better - with people and the planet in mind.

Bolder: We’re in a climate crisis, and we need to be bold. We need to connect with our neighbours to share skills and resources. We need to ask the takeaway shop if they can fill our own containers. We need to be bold and find the courage to act outside of the norm!

Different: Embrace being different and own your sustainable lifestyle choices.

And now is my chance to kill two birds with one stone (but not actually, because I don’t like throwing stones at birds). I’d like to thank our tour sponsors who made this happen, while letting you (the reader) know about their product/service. These companies make sustainable living (and generally living life Better, Bolder, Different) so much easier!

Guests at our main events had the choice of Chia Sisters smoothies (made in a solar powered juicery in Nelson) or Zeffer Cider (the cider we had at our wedding).

Ethique: My longest standing brand partner and one of the first sustainable swaps I made, Ethique are the beauty bar company you need in your bathroom. Ethique metaphorically came with me on tour as a sponsor, but they also came with me literally; in the form of my deodorant, face moisturiser, shampoo, conditioner, lipstick, face wash, and face exfoliator.

You can find Ethique products in supermarket aisles, most pharmacies, and online too.

Images from left to right: Raw Nature perfumes ~ Pathfinder founder at the final Auckland event ~ My Ethique beauty bars on the road ~

Pathfinder: We had some great chats during the book tour events about Pathfinder and how lucrative their sustainable KiwiSaver fund is. In 2020 I went from not knowing what KiwiSaver was, to passionately spreading the word about Pathfinder’s KiwiSaver option! It’s really important for me to know my savings are divested from things like fossil fuels and invested in values that align with my own - and I know it’s important for others too.

If you make the switch to Pathfinder and use code "EthicallyKate".

Raw Nature: I boycotted perfume for 2-3 years until I found Raw Nature. Their perfumes come in home compostable tubes, in stick form. Simply swipe the stick onto your neck and/or wrists! They make more than perfumes too - great Christmas present or stocking filler options.

Images from left to right: Wearing our Kind Face eyemasks and holding our pillows ~ Spot my Esse overalls on the cover of my book! ~ The Christchurch event ~

Kind Face: Tim & I travelled the country with our Kind Face pillows and weighted eye masks in tow. It was a natural fit for Kind Face to be part of the tour as my book chapter on sleep is exactly what they're all about; energising people using natural materials. Code ethicallykate15 = 15% off.

Esse: See those green overalls on the front cover of my book? They're from Esse! Esse is one of my favourite slow fashion brands - and not just because most of their garments have pockets. Code ETHICALLYKATE = 10% off.

Images from left to right: Street style photo captured by Yuki, wearing Rupahaus ~ My sister devouring a muffin from Foodprint ~ Tim wearing LETE ~ Hanging out in the Velvet Heartbeat workroom ~

Rupahaus: Tim and I rocked Rupahaus garments throughout the tour and a fashion photographer in Dunedin caught us on camera wearing Rupahaus too. We love that Rupahaus don't launch regular collections and focus on slowly made staples instead - plus a lot of their range is unisex, so I get to borrow Tim's brilliant blue top. Code ETHICALLYKATE is 10% off.

LETE: LETE are my go-to workout gear. I love the sports bra so much that I bought another one as a present for myself for Christmas 2021! Tim and I both work out in LETE and we love how the garments are suitable for both exercise (e.g. running) and yoga. Code ETHICALLYKATE = 15% off.

Foodprint: I highly recommend downloading the Foodprint app so you can score delicious meals at a fraction of the price while fighting food waste! The app is available in Auckland, Raglan, Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Christchurch. Code ethicallyk is $5 off your first Foodprint order.

Velvet Heartbeat: If you're after ethical accessories (think bags of all styles, wallets, socks, jewellery) lovingly handmade in Auckland, Velvet Heartbeat is your place. I've known Suzie, maker and founder, since she began in 2017 and it's a huge privilege to have worked together for so many years. Code ETHICALLYKATE = 15% off.

Without these organisations, Tim and I wouldn’t have made it on tour. We chose these specific businesses for a reason, and I am proud to know each one of them as friends too.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to an event, purchased the book, high-fived me in a book store, or waved at us when spotting Fran! I hope to see you again soon, New Zealand.