Organic coconut oil

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Where can you buy certified organic coconut oil?


You can buy coconut oil online and in store at Biome  Brisbane.  We are impressed by the Niugini Organics story, which being produced in Papua New Guinea, has the lowest food miles for delivery to Australia.  It is extracted without heat and is jarred and boxed by the community of growers who grow the coconuts from which the oil comes.  The other organic coconut oils also have good features. Choose from at Biome:

Niugini Organics certified organic coconut oil  
Coconut Magic
Banaban coconut oil
Oil4life organic coconut oil.
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We've learned many times at Biome that every idea will have its day!  And it appears that the time has come for the idea of Organic Coconut Oil.  Although some people, like Bruce Fife of the Coconut Research Centre cracked this coconut wide open many years ago. 

Fife believes that in the 80's coconut oil was wrongly lumped in with harmful saturated fats (partly due to propoganda by the soy bean industry) and it was replaced in general food use by hydrogenated soy bean oil, with devastating economic impacts for the Pacific communities that grow organic coconut oil.  He says:
The connection between heart disease and coconut oil that frightened so many people never existed. What most people didn't understand at the time was that there are many different types of saturated fat and that the fat in coconut oil is completely different from that found in animal fats. This difference is important because it's what makes coconut oil unique and gives it its remarkable healing properties.

Of course, there are some who are not so upbeat about coconut oil, so please do research and decide for yourself.  Remember that virgin (unprocessed or raw) organic coconut oil is very different to hydrogenated coconut oil, which is not healthy.
 
Biome has sold organic coconut oil for about two years.  Originally it was a customer in store who suggested we should take a look.  Then it turned out that some of the healthy living Biome team were already experiementing with coconut oil!

Healthy eating role models like Sarah Wilson have promoted the organic coconut oil message for many years (here is a 2011 post from Sarah Wilson that explains perfectly what is so great about coconut oil).  Sarah is now regularly called upon by the media to talk about coconut oil.

Yet, it was way back in 2004 that Bruce Fife released The Coconut Oil Miracle  where he outlined his research that found when taken as a dietary supplement, used in cooking, or applied directly to the skin, coconut oil could:

• Promote weight loss
• Help prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and many other degenerative diseases
• Strengthen the immune system
• Improve digestion
• Alleviate premature aging of the skin

You can read more about Coconut Oil on the Coconut Research Center website, where Dr Fife explains the drastic economic impact there has been for Pacific communities.  He writes: Up until the mid-1980s coconut oil was commonly used in many foods. The anti-saturated fat campaigns sponsored by the soybean industry and misguided special interest groups succeeded in frightening the public away from using coconut oil and food manufacturers and restaurants eventually replaced it with hydrogenated soybean oil. By 1990, coconut had virtually disappeared from American and European diets... Demand for coconut products plummeted and the coconut industry fell into a deep depression that lasted for two decades... Literally millions of farmers, pickers, consolidators, truckers, and processors were no longer able to earn a living...They barely eked out a living year by year on a pauper's wage.
 

Why is organic coconut oil finally having its day?

It appears that the relationship between coconut oil and "sugar" has propelled it into the mainstream.  We have seen the Sweet Poison and no sugar diet phenomenom, coupled with more people needing to manage Type 2 Diabetes.  And, as Sarah Wilson explains, coconut oil helps stop sugar cravings and energy slumps.  Your body sends medium-chain fatty acids straight to your liver to use as energy. This means that coconut oil is a source of instant energy to your body, much like when you eat simple carbohydrates. But although they both deliver quick energy to your body, unlike the carbohydrates, coconut oil does not produce an insulin spike in your bloodstream. This saves you from a slump, and is good news for anyone struggling with insulin issues.
 
Niugini Organics claims that reliable scientific evidence indicates that coconut oil stimulates the metabolism without the production of insulin, assisting with the management of Type 2 Diabetes and Cholesterol.

Secondly, we are also learning that some vegetable oils, like olive oil, can be harmful when heated - whereas organic coconut oil can be heated to 170 degrees Celsius without turning itself into a trans-fatty-acid or transfat.  People using safe, non stick cookware such as Neoflam, know to use coconut oil because it does not ruin the non stick cookware surface.

Read more here about Coconut oil for skin and which coconut oil is best?

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Vulnerable lungfish rescue Gympie, Queensland

Image source: The Courier Mail

It's not every day you get to save the life of a threatened species and a living fossil!

A remarkable photograph of a Gympie resident rescuing a rare lungfish from a hotel car park in Gympie after it was washed there by the flood waters that have flowed through Gympie, Queensland for the fifth time in one year.

This ancient air breathing fish can survive for several days out of the water if the surface of its skin is kept moist.  Fossil records show that the Queensland Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) has remained unchanged for more than 100 million years (since the time of the dinosaurs) - and is the longest surviving vertebrate species on the planet.

The lungfish became well known in the fight to stop the Traveston Crossing Dam near Gympie and may have influenced the then Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett's decision to veto the dam because it posed 'an unacceptable risk to threatened species such as the Queensland lungfish'. The lungfish still faces significant risks from the Paradise Dam on the Burnett River.  The dam has a fish transfer device (a "fish lift"!) to theoretically allow lungfish to migrate upstream of the dam wall as well as a downstream fish transfer device to allow them to migrate downstream for breeding and feeding.  There has been much debate and a court case over whether the devices are effective. It is also believed that lungfish have been destroyed when they are swept over the 62 concrete-step spillway at Paradise Dam

What is the status of the lungfish?
The Australian Lungfish is listed as a vulnerable species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act).  Source.

Why is the lungfish threatened?
According to Environment Australia: Evidence suggests that in recent years only small numbers of young lungfish are growing-up into adult fish. In addition, changes to the quality and extent of breeding habitat appear to be reducing the likelihood of successful spawning. Two of the key problems affecting the lungfish are the flooding of suitable spawning sites and physical barriers that block the movement of adult lungfish to the remaining breeding sites.

As explained in this article from the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland:
In the words of Professor Jean Joss, Australia’s primary lungfish expert, '…the Australian lungfish provides the only opportunity to study the development and physiology of the aquatic predecessor of all land vertebrates – including ourselves. Its significance cannot be overstated. Australia is the custodian of the source of this invaluable library of information for the rest of the world.'
 
The Australian lungfish, previously more widespread throughout the continent, is now restricted to the Mary and Burnett River systems, the latter of which used to offer the most suitable spawning sites. Despite having survived this long, and boasting a life span of 80 to 100 years, the Australian lungfish takes 15 to 20 years to reach maturity and is very picky when it comes to the conditions under which it will spawn.  Since the construction of the Paradise Dam, these favoured sites have been flooded on several occasions and have also undergone permanent change. As a result, the faithful lungfish return every year but do not spawn and reabsorb their gametes because the conditions are no longer acceptable to them.

Hats off to this Gympie resident for saving one lungfish by carrying it back to deeper water!

 

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Leaf love: beautiful heart shaped leaves

We love this great green earth. Love is everywhere ... see it in nature around you ... in the tallest of trees, in the tiniest of leaves. We wish everyone a happy day of love and appreciation for every living thing.

The photographer said "The tiny red heart-shaped leaf was one of the last clinging to a branch of this shrub, so I turned it upside down and held it up against a larger, yellowing leaf to show off it's color."  rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com.au

 Flickr gallery Twilight-Faa

 Snowflowers25.blogspot.com

Please share a link for a love heart shaped leaf you come across and we'll add it here.

Feel the need for more love??  Check out this blog post with 25 awesome hearts found in nature 

   

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Lunch box ideas

Zucchini & Sweetcorn fritters.  Lunch box ideas photo source: www.taste.com.au

Lunch box ideas to make it easy & nutritious

Biome's eco and health-minded community recently shared a bunch of brilliant ideas to help make packing a waste free, nutritious kids lunch box easy peasy!   They entered our survey competition to win a $200 voucher from Eeni Meeni Miini Moh.

We were overwhelmed by the organised and inspired minds out there!  The primary idea is to make it just as easy and fast to use home-made foods in reusable containers, rather than feeling you only have the time to grab pre-packaged, individual serve foods.  There's no doubt that this bulk buying approach will save money; plus, home made avoids the additives and preservatives in processed foods.  Further, more schools are requiring parents to not send any disposable plastic wrap or pre-packaged food in lunch boxes.

To ease the strain on morning brains, many survey respondents recommend writing a menu plan for the week, rotating set menus or following the same formula every day.   

Following a routine or formula for the lunch box contents each day also helps with making children responsible for packing their lunches from an early age (another popular theme).  A simple break down such as this works well:
1. Sandwich or pasta
2. Fruit or vegetable sticks
3. Yoghurt or sweet home bake from the freezer
4. Savoury dry snack or home bake.
5. Something extra if they want: egg, cheese, dip

The most popular lunch box idea is to home bake and freeze or prepare ahead ready for easy picking in the morning.  Kids love a variety of snack size goodies and you can pack a lot of nutrition into small things that make lunch more interesting and fun.  See the ideas below on what you can bake ahead and freeze. And, of course, get the kids to help with the baking so they have ownership of what they're eating.

We were also motivated by the number of organised people who recommend packing most of the lunch boxes the night before to save stress when the morning rush is on.


Lunch box ideas - Mini foods to bake ahead and freeze

Mini eggless banana choc chip muffins (link below)

You can easily Google recipes for most of these ideas: pikelets and scones, wholesome vegie muffins, eggless banana choc chip muffins, banana and cranberry muffins, home made museli bars, healthy slices, vegetable fritters or patties, vegemite/pizza scrolls, quiche/omelette slices, banana bread, zucchini slice, apricot logs, date loaf, sausage rolls, arancini rice balls, meat balls, pizza on wholemeal base. Often you can bake them to enjoy on the weekend, but make extras to freeze.



More ways to be organised in advance

• On the weekend, pre-pack dried fruit, organic corn chips, dry biscuits into little reusable containers ready for five days of snacks. 
• Cook up bulk amount of pop corn at the beginning of the week (popcorn maker recommended for ease and low fat content). 
• Make a dip early in the week and then simply cut up vegetable sticks on the day.
• Cut up vegetable sticks and cheese (use mini biscuit cutters for fun shapes) for a couple of days supply - or, while making dinner the night before, cut or grate extra for lunches the next day.
• Make extra quantity of noodles/pasta/sausages at dinner and use for lunches. Can be sent to school hot in an insulated food thermos.
• Make a salmon or tofu spread at the beginning of the week to put on sandwiches each day.
• Fill a week's worth of refillable Squeeze pouches with yoghurt or milk and fruit smoothies

Some favourite lunch boxes

Goodbyn - is much loved because it has only one lid to keep track of!  The Goodbyn Bynto is a one meal or small meal size.

Sandwich wrap - saves wasting plastic wrap, the wraps are a good style as once kids open the wrap it acts like a plate





More healthy lunch box ideas

• Steamed chicken makes yummy fresh wraps with salad and sweet chilli sauce for older kids.
• Bulk tubs of Greek yoghurt and spoon into reusable containers with honey, tinned, fresh or frozen fruit.
• Vegies: Cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks, carrot sticks, celery sticks, capsicum
• Smoothie or protein shake
• Frozen grapes and berries
• Boiled eggs
• Home made chocolate milk slushies (freeze ahead and by lunch time it's a slushie)
• Frozen yoghurt in small containers.

Lunch box ideas from others
Here's two of our favourite posts by others with lunch box ideas
Natural New Age Mum ~ Healthy Lunchbox ideas and none of them are sandwiches
The Organised Housewife ~ Freezable Lunchbox Baking recipes

And see more ideas in our earlier lunch box ideas post.

Menu planning
In the words of one our respondents: A few minutes over the weekend plotting out lunches for the coming week means you buy/make what you need so you have it there on hand and it saves SOOOO much angst. You just read what you've arranged for that day, pop it all together and away you go. Highly recommended :)

Here are some of the lunch box ideas that impressed us most (we received so many that we'll post more in the coming weeks)

Make up five days worth of sandwich/wrap items and cook and cut up a healthy slice/tray of muffins that are freezable with the kids on Sundays. Use 4 my earth wraps to store items 'ready to go' in the freezer and grab them out the night before (or in the morning on a really hot day), add a piece of fruit/vege or two, a bottle of water and off to school!!

Don't try to be too fancy or have too many options. My kids happily take and eat basically the same things every day. Sandwich fillings change depending upon whether we have roast or if chicken fillets are on special. I cook chicken fillets then slice them up and freeze in portions. A homemade banana, cranberry & choc chip muffin (from the freezer and zapped for 20 seconds then into small container and insulated lunch bag). Some fruit, chopped for easy consumption and either some carrot sticks, grapes, cucumber sticks or yoghurt - rice crackers or chicken crimpys occasionally.

Use containers with lids attached so you are not looking for lids. Line up containers and cut each persons fruit and then cut each persons lunch,fill each water bottle and place in lined up bags. Don't spend time in the morning looking for containers. Label all items.

I make 5 sandwiches at the beginning of the week & freeze in a Keepleaf wrap. Take it out of the freezer the night before & the next morning pop fresh veg such as avocado, lettuce or tomato on it!

I dont buy plastic wrap so if its not there, it cant be used.

My kids get "bits & bobs" in their boxes everyday = they want variety! The compartments in the Goodbyn make it easy - all fruits cut up in one (stone fruit, pears, berries, etc), all veg in another (peapods, cuc, capsicum, cuc, carrots, celery), salami/bbq chick/salmon/protein in another, naan bread/crackers/grain/muffin in another and a sweet. Goal in our house is a lot of variety everyday and it is all healthy - and gobbled up!

I place all the containers in a zipped up fabric carry bag with a frozen drink bottle wrapped in a tea towel to keep everything nice and cool (old fashioned & a bit daggy but works a treat!)

[Note: this person has five children and has a precision scheme going on :-) !] On shopping day I freeze cheese or vegemite sandwiches into loaf shape containers (I use one container for cheese and one for vegemite).  The slices that don't fit in make sandwiches for that days' lunch which I make at the same time :) This also helps to keep the lunchboxes cool and the sandwiches nice and fresh) They are easy to add salad, chutney, cold meat to when packing or to just grab and go on busy days. With 5 kids I find that making a few loaves of sandwiches doesn't take that much more time than making them 1 each.  If i'm organised I make the lunches after dinner using leftovers if possible or just grab a frozen sandwich on a shelf in the fridge dedicated to lunches/leftovers.  I also try to cut up any vegies such as carrot or cucumber sticks as I'm cooking dinner eg if I'm making a salad I'll cut up the cucumbers for lunch at the same time and pop straight into the lunchboxes.:)

You can find another great list of lunch box ideas in our earlier post and Biome's large choice of lunch boxes and sandwich wraps here.  Lunch boxes also available at Todae Lifestyle Store.

Lunch box ideas photo courtesy of Squeeze ems reusable pouches

A final word on replacement parts

Part of Biome's eco philosophy is to think about prolonging the life of a product and often a bit of a lunch box or water bottle or drinking mechanism will break or wear out long before the main body of the metal or BPA free plastic bottle or lunch box.  That is why Biome encourages all our suppliers to offer replacement parts.
We offer Thermos plastic straw and Thermos silicone mouth pieces for the Thermos insulated Funtainers.  You can find the Thermos Spare Parts here.
Kids Konserve replacement lids


 

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Clove oil and mould

Many people with seemingly unsolveable allergies are excited by the growing consensus that mould causes some allergy and asthma problems - and clove oil is the magic ingredient to help end the sneezing and wheezing.

The Victorian Department of Health states:

• Mould associated with damp buildings can trigger nasal congestion, sneezing, cough, wheeze, respiratory infections and worsen asthma and allergic conditions.
• People with weakened immune systems; allergies; severe asthma; chronic, obstructive, or allergic lung diseases are more susceptible to these symptoms and other serious health effects.  Source.

However, to get rid of mould is not as overwhelming as you may think.  Remember, mould can only grow where there is sufficient moisture and it is spread by mould spores.

An excellent ABC article explains: Mould is a fungi, along with mushrooms and yeast, and is everywhere around us; in the air we breathe and in the dust around our homes.  When mould reproduces it creates spores that are carried in the air. As an allergen, inhaling mould spores affects the body in the same way as inhaling dust mites or grass pollen.  ABC Source

Action plan to get rid of mould

1. Remove sources of damp and moisture, ventilate wet areas, mop up water asap.
2. Clean off any visible mould - unfortunately, nothing beats elbow grease to actually scrub it away. You also need to clean it off several times with fresh water, being careful not to re-contaminate the area with the mould spores.
3. Spray with clove oil and water mixture (see recipe below). Clove oil actually kills the mould, rather than a bleach that just masks the mould.
4. Place a clove oil room sanitiser - either a DIY one such as soaking a piece of chalk in clove oil, or a ready made mould aroma gel in the mould-prone area.  The clove oil will continue to kill mould spores circulating in the room.

The great news is that you do not need harsh chemicals such as bleach to get rid of mould.  For those suffering from allergies and asthma, this is a double relief because bleach and ammonia ecascerbate those conditions. 

How to clean mould with clove oil

• First clean the surface with a mixture of 4 litres of hot water, 1 tablespoon bicarb of soda and half a cup of vinegar.
• Mix a quarter teaspoon of clove oil (no more) per litre of water, put it in a spray bottle, lightly mist on. Leave for 20 minutes and wipe off.  Spray again and leave.  It will take 24-48 hours for the mould spores to dry and drop off.

For more mould recipes see our earlier blog post Get rid of mould with clove oil.

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Led replacement for halogen

NASA Earth at Night

Would you like to replace your energy-guzzling halogen downlights with efficient LEDs but are confused about where to start? 

Many people think it would be too difficult or costly - but actually it's much easier than you think.  Read on...

Home lighting is one of the most significant opportunities to save energy and slow climate change. Currently, lighting accounts for approximately 20% of global electricity consumption. To reduce this figure and lower the world’s environmental impact, an Australian company Brightgreen has developed innovative, energy efficient, high-quality lighting solutions.

Brightgreen DR700 is an innovation in LED lighting which can easily replace any standard 12V 50watt halogen downlight globe and provide 1:1 light - but only use 10.5 watts instead of 50 watts (meaning lower electricity costs).

Brightgreen has pursued three objectives:

• Bright, high quality LEDs that overcome the common limitations of LED lights - Brightgreen LEDs are just like halogens (only better!)
• Products made to last - Today’s commercial giants thrive on creating products that have short life cycles and become obsolete within a few years after purchase.  In contrast, Brightgreen’s products are designed to survive for more than 70,000 hours and last 15 times longer than other forms of lighting, such as halogen.
• Always sustainable - Unlike halogens and fluorescents, Brightgreen’s products are free from UV light, mercury, lead, hexavalent chromium and all other heavy metals considered toxic to the environment. All components of Brightgreen’s products are fully disposable and recyclable, again reducing our environmental impact on the earth by not leaving anything behind.

LED replacement for halogen

Simply remove your halogen bulb and replace it with the Brightgreen DR700. It is that easy to install the DR700!   **Please check first that you have an MR16 fitting (which has two sharp pins and is most common for 12V recessed downlights).

You can make difference to global warming and your budget by trying one at home today?  See how the led replacement for halogen works and then consider replacing more.  

A Brightgreen LED light bulb may cost $49 to start, but it will pay for itself through power bill savings in about two years in a home.

For more information, please visit Biome LED light bulbs and Todae's extensive range of LED lights

Advantages of choosing a Brightgreen DR700 LED bulb:

• total light output of 720 lumens, the same as the average 50 watt halogen bulb
• compatible with most dimmers (see below)
• compatible with most transformers
• 3 year manufacturer guarantee
• on average, pays for itself in two years residential use and one year in commercial use
• designed for the Australian market.

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Green Olympics London - a gold medal performance?

Source: http://www.iso.org/iso/news.htm?refid=Ref1690

From the world's first "recycled stadium", a food strategy that requires balance, affordability and sustainability, to water-harvesting, cycle parks, a sustainable timber Velo track, plus, the target of sending none of the 8,000 tonnes of consumer waste generated to landfill, there's an impressive line up on the starter blocks.

Since the last Olympics Games, environmental standards - and possibilities - have changed markedly.  Expectations of how companies and countries need to minimise impact our planet in all they do are high.  London's commitment to a sustainable Games was reportedly a central part of winning the right to host the event.

Global warming is the critical issue of our time and the Games has been built and operated with a strict carbon footprint limitation.  Reducing the tonnes of carbon dioxide and gases sent into the atmosphere is not just about vehicles and electricity.  "Embedded carbon" in the materials used to construct venues, such as concrete and steel, is the major contributor and that is why many temporary structures have been built wherever possible from materials, such as billboard fabric, and recycled materials, such as the reclaimed gas pipes making up the roof of the Olympic stadium.

There's much to learn for other construction companies and event organisers - and not just the big ones.  For the individual person there are many mind-expanding ideas on what you can do in your every day life and when undertaking your own event or contruction.

Here are some of the facts gathered from media reports (sources at the end):

Low Carbon Games
Estimated carbon footprint published 2009. For the operation of the games this is expected to be 315,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and other gases – a 20 per cent reduction on the initial estimate.  New permanent venues have been built only where there was a strong legacy case. Temporary structures built whereever possible, such as the water polo venue and wings of the aquatics centre.  “Embedded carbon” in the structure of the stadium reduced by using recycled materials, such as old gas pipes which provide the truss – the ring around the top of the stadium.
Renewable Energy Games
Original target was 20 per cent of all energy supplied, largely provided by a large two-megawatt wind turbine on the Olympic site. Health and safety considerations ruled out the turbine. Renwable energy now expected to be 11 per cent of the total, provided by biomass boilers in the dedicated energy centre and a small amount of solar panels on the roof of the press centre car park.
Public Transport Games
All ticket holders given a Games Travelcard to use on public transport on the day of their event.  Walking and cycling to venues encouraged by Active Travel Programme – with 7,000 secure cycle spaces.  However, that system has some problems because they are half an hour walk away!
Good Food Games
London 2012 thought to be first major event in the world to have a food strategy, stressing choice and balance, affordability, sustainable sourcing across 800 food and drink outlets. All meat and dairy and fresh produce from the UK is Red Tractor farm assured.  All fish is certified as sustainably sourced. Much overseas produce is Fair Trade.
Zero Waste Games
London 2012 expected to generate about 8,000 tonnes of consumer waste overall. The target is send none of this to landfill. All food packaging, including that used by McDonald’s, must be recyclable or compostable (all provided by a single supplier) and colour-coded to match colour codes on different bins for different waste streams.  I very much like that idea of the colour coding!  All waste handled by a single specialist contractor running a dedicated line for Olympic waste.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/07/pictures/120725-london-green-olympic-games-bid/

Cycling's sustainable surface
The VeloPark was constructed using mainly timber and has a lightweight roof that reduces its embodied carbon emissions by limiting the use of steel. It also has rainwater harvesting capabilitys that will help cut water consumption by 75 per cent. But best of all the timber, including that used for the track, all came from certified sustainable sources.
VIPs and their greener Beemers
BMW's brightly coloured Olympic fleet includes 200 electric vehicles and 400 bicycles. Half the fleet will be BMW 320d Efficient Dynamic saloons, while another 700 will be BMW 520d Efficient Dynamics. The automaker has achieved its target of ensuring the London Olympics Games' fleet does not exceed average emissions of 120 grams of CO2 per kilometre, while also pioneering the use of zero emission technologies.
The world's first recyclable stadium
The 80,000 seat stadium was constructed with less than half the steel used in comparably sized stadia, making it the lightest Olympic Stadium to date. It includes more than a third recycled content and is expected to require 60 per cent less water than comparable stadia. The ring beam that supports the roof is also made of reclaimed gas pipes.

Sources: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/how-green-will-the-london-olympics-really-be-7982182.html, http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/feature/2194942/top-10-green-olympic-facts, http://lydall.standard.co.uk/2012/07/olympic-bike-parks-will-have-security-guards-to-deter-thieves.html, http://energy.gov/articles/2012-london-olympics-go-green-its-energy-efficient-sustainable-and-recyclable-design

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Best Queensland organic gourmet finds

We had a sensational time at the Biome stall as part of Regional Flavours at South Bank, Brisbane this past weekend.   What a lively and positive gathering of Queensland food and wine producers and their devotees.  Cooking demonstrations with a garden to table theme were very popular, while the creative installations of productive gardens added to the inspiring atmosphere, like these herb wheelbarrow plantings.

It was exciting to see such crowds of people keen to connect with the growers and producers of food.  This year's theme was to showcase the many food traditions present in Queensland – from migrant recipes using local ingredients to native indigenous foods gone gourmet.

For those who couldn't make it, we've listed our pick the best organic and boutique producers below.

Take the green shopping pledge and we'll reward you with 25% off

Biome was there to help spread the message about reducing your impact on the planet when you shop - from taking reusable Keep Cup coffee cups and water bottles, to replacing plastic bags with reusable fruit and vegie bags and composting your scaps at home.  Our green shopping pledge has some easy actions to help.  Pledge to do them and we'll reward you in our stores ...  Download the pledge here before 30 September 2012 

OUR FAVOURITE FINDS
 

Hinterland Feijoas, who grow certified organic feijoas on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland.  Owners Peter Heineger and Sally Hookey use organic biological farming methods and no chemical inputs. Growing feijoas commercially in Australia is a relatively new industry so they had to start from scratch in many areas.  To value add to their crop, they work with local chefs to manufacture a variety jams, ice cream and amazing Feijoa Balsamic Glaze.   

Look out for Kat's Waffle House who attend markets on the Sunshine Coast and special events with their delicious gluten-free waffles made with organic gluten-free flour, organic eggs, no preservatives, etc, etc.  Biome's stall was right near Kat's so we had to smell the beautiful aroma of fresh baked waffles all weekend!  Thankfully, we got to satisfy our cravings a few times also.

Extra special

OzHarvest Brisbane  collecting excess food to feed those in need  http://brisbane.ozharvest.org 

Organic
Barambah Organics  dairy
Eden Hope Organic Dairy Farms dairy - Gympie
Hampton Blue  organic berries and jams - Hampton www.hamptonblue.com.au
Kin Kin Tea  herbal teas and Organic Fruit - Kin Kin  kinkintea.com.au

Hinterland Feijoas  organic feijoa www.hinterlandfeijoas.com.au
 

Handcrafted, traditional, sustainable production

Chalala Micro-Bakery  muesli, gluten-free biscuits - Mossvale www.chalala.com.au
Towri Sheep Cheeses sheep cheeses - Allenview www.towrisheepcheeses.com.au
Coolana Olives  olives - Lowood  www.coolanaolives.com.au  
Kingaroy Cheese artisan cheeses - Brighton www.kingaroycheese.com.au
Brisbane Ginger Beer  ginger beer - Brisbane
Fungi Mushroom Growing Kits  Geebung www.fungi.net.au  
Broken Nose Vanilla  Babinda www.brokennosevanilla.com.au

Gluten free
 Jo Jo’s Gluten Free Brisbane www.jojosglutenfree.com.au
Gluten Free Grain Free Company  www.glutenfreegrainfree.com.au
Zehnder Gluten Free  Maleny www.zehnder.com.au
Kat’s Wafflehouse   Homemade gluten free waffles - Mooloolaba

Bush foods
Coolamon Foods Bush Food spices, sauces, relishes by Dale Chapman, an accomplished Indigenous
Australian Bush Tucker Chef. www.coolamonfoodcreations.com.au
Galeru Native Rainforest Fruit Cakes, Yoghurt, Juices www.galeru.com.au
Rainforest Bounty chutneys and sauces rainforestbounty.com.au

For more local food inspiration, see our earlier post "hitch up to the local food wagon".

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Bob Dylan honour & Blowin' in the Wind book

President Barack Obama awards Bob Dylan the Medal of Freedom. Image from the Huffington Post.

We're honoured to offer a small part of Bob Dylan's story at Biome (see more about the book below), so we were pleased to hear that he received the Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor.

According to the Huffington Post, Dylan released his first album in 1962, and his music had a considerable influence on the civil rights movement. The president said he found Dylan's music transcendant, claiming it led to his "world opening up, because Dylan captured something about this country that was so vital."

And from Wikipedia, "Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. Although it has been described as a protest song, it poses a series of rhetorical questions about peace, war and freedom. The refrain "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind" has been described as "impenetrably ambiguous: either the answer is so obvious it is right in your face, or the answer is as intangible as the wind".

Picture book and CD available at Biome Eco Stores

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind.

Bob Dylan's lyrics for "Blowin' in The Wind" are just as relevant today as they were almost 50 years ago.  

The song is often hailed as an anthem of the 1960s civil rights movement, but in tackling universal questions about freedom, justice, war and peace, it has become much more than just a protest song.

Now readers of all generations can appreciate Dylan's moving message in this Blowin' in the Wind picture book adaptation illustrated with powerful, poetic paintings by Caldecott honoree Jon J Muth.

This beautiful edition includes a CD of Dylan's original 1963 recording, plus a special note by renowned music columnist Greil Marcus, putting the song in historical context.

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind...

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Keeping free range free!

Thank you to the Australian Greens for the content in this post.

Buyer beware ... Consumers are being exploited with eggs labelled “free-range” that are not truly free-range, while the the Egg Corporation is proposing to increase free-range stocking from 1,500 to 20,000 birds per hectare!  This is a massive 1233 per cent increase in bird densities on the range. At this stocking rate, free-range hens will be denied their most basic welfare needs.

Due to a complaint from the Humane Society International, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has opened up the proposed standard for comments.  Submissions are required by 20 June 2012 and can be lodged by email to adjudication@accc.gov.au.


Meanwhile, the Greens NSW have launched the ‘Truth in Labelling (Free-Range Eggs) Bill 2011′ to prevent producers from misleading consumers about how laying hens are treated

In Queensland it has been law since 2002 that free-range egg farms can keep a maximum of 1,500 birds per hectare, but there currently exists no legal definition of free-range egg production systems in NSW.  

Standards vary drastically between how many birds are allowed to be kept in the shed and on the range and whether practices like beak trimming are permitted. When consumers buy “free-range” they often don’t know which standard are buying into.

In this video, Lauren Fitzpatrick reports for The Milk Moustache.

The widely accepted industry voluntary "Model Code of Practice" states that free-range birds must be kept at 1,500 birds per hectare. Because it is a voluntary code it can not be enforced. Some farms are cramming up to 40,000 birds per hectare and claiming to be “free-range.”

The Egg Corporation released a statement in early April this year that 29 per cent of free-range eggs produced in NSW come from farms which stock their hens at densities even greater than 20,000 birds per hectare. In Queensland it has been law since 2002 that free-range egg farms can keep a maximum of 1,500 birds per hectare. The demand for free-range eggs has exploded in recent years.  In the year 2010/11 free-range eggs made up 29 per cent of the national market in volume and 41 per cent of the value.  Free-range is big business—last year it made nearly $200 million in retail sales. Take action

The Greens NSW need your support to end the egg rorts and help make the Truth in Labelling Bill law.

• Only buy eggs that are stamped from accreditation bodies the Free Range Farmers Association Inc. and the Free Range Egg and Poultry Association of Australia Inc. 

• The only way to ensure your free-range eggs come from truly free-range farms is through legislation. The Greens NSW need your support to help make the Greens Truth in Labelling Bill law. Click here to download the petition and get the signatures of your friends, family and colleagues and send it to John Kaye MLC NSW Parliament House Macquarie St Sydney 2000. 

• The NSW Government needs to hear from all ethical consumers that they want their rights to buy genuine free-range eggs protected. Click here to find your local NSW member. The Greens have put together a step-by-step guide complete with questions to ask your local state representative. 

• Whether it be at the farmers market, shopping centre or around the dinner table start a conversation about the exploitation of the free-range label and why legislation is needed to protect it.

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Magazine for the green mind thrives

With its beautiful photography of sustainable, serene homes, gentle nature-inspired colour scheme, and thick matte-finish paper, Australian green magazine looks and feels as great as it reads.

Each issue of green showcases the most interesting and creative sustainable designs from product designers, architects and landscapers around Australia and internationally.  The content is as much for the home reader as it is for the commercial industry.  Intelligent articles and plenty of practical know-how for your home and garden aim to help design, build, fit-out and live and work in structures that respect our planet's limited resources.  The enticing gardening pages have a stong focus on producing food and self-sufficiency and there are always examples of clever re-using and upcycling.

Established in 2007 by Melbourne-based Tamsin O'Neill and husband Tom Bodycomb, green is an independent magazine (meaning it is privately owned and is not part of the big media publishing companies).  And it appears to have not only met a gap in the magazine market, but like a well-tended garden it has flourished, keeping its readers interested and increasing production from a quarterly to a bi-monthy issue.

In the latest issue of green magazine (issue 25, May-June 2012) you can visit the home of edible garden dynamo, Karen Sutherland or learn about the opening up of a Brisbane worker's cottage (main image) and the best sustainable bathrooms.


Following on their successful niche theme, the publishers have also launched a second magazine for bike lovers, treadlie, which is devoted to bike culture, fashion and design.

Both green and treadlie magazine are available in the Biome stores and in our online store.  See all our eco magazines here.

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Hungry? Hitch up with the local food wagon

Image from www.foodconnect.com.au

People are asking questions.  People want to know not only where their food comes from, but who grew their food - not just a name, but details ... What motivates the grower?  How do they look after their soil?  What does the farmer do with their spare time?  Do they have kids?  What's their favourite food? 

There is a groundswell of interest in the producer-consumer connection, and Australian organisation, Food Connect has been tending this relatively fallow soil for many years, confident that the concept will come to fruition - afterall, it may have a crucial role in saving the world from hunger.  Based on the principles of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Food Connect delivers weekly boxes bursting with seasonal produce from local farmers living within a short radius of Food Connect Brisbane and Food Connect Sydney.

Food Connect explains: CSA is an innovation in the growing and distributing of food that aims for farmers and consumers to share the risk involved in food production. CSA seeks to address the environmental and social problems associated with industrial agriculture through a shared commitment to local and regional food systems that provide fair financial returns to small family farms. Consumers are effectively investing in the future security of their food supply.  Food Connect works hard at communicating the story and strengthening the bond between the growers and the consumers.  Each week they update the blog with details of what you can expect in your box, along with links to the stories of the farmers who grew the produce. Incredible detail.

You can read more about Food Connect founder Robert Pekin here on the Locavored blog.

People want to feel a connection.  As Sarah Robins writes in her article I don't buy food from strangers (that's a clever bumper sticker by the way) 35,000 people shop at a Victorian farmers’ market each weekend, lured by provenance, variety, freshness and quality, a minimal carbon footprint and the opportunity to engage directly with growers and support the local economy.

As we were working on this post, ABC's Landline program on Sunday, 1 April, aired a fascinating story on food security, The Hunger Games (watch the video or read the transcript).  In the next 40 years the world has to produce as much food as we have produced in the last 500 years.  Julian Cribb, author of The Coming Famine says: We're running out of water, we're running out of oil, we're running out of agricultural science and technology. We're running out of fish, we're running out of stable climates. So all of those things playing together are creating a greater insecurity in the world's food supply at a time when demand is poised to double.  The story looks at how we can increase agricultural output, as well as how people can grow more food in the cities and how much food we waste in Australia (we throw away about $5 billion worth).

Our loss of "connectivity" with food is part of the problem according to Michael D'Occhio of University of Queensland. In the Landline story, he says: ...we have no respect for food in Australia, we don't appreciate the value of food like our grandparents did after the Second World War... We've lost connectivity with what's required to produce food, what's required to make food available on a consistent basis and indeed the effort that our farmers put into providing us with the quality of food that we produce.

Want to know more about who grew your food? Check out these resources

QLD
Brisbane - Food Connect; Northey Street City Farm.
Organic Brisbane blog
VIC
In Melbourne - CERES Fair Food an inner city farm that hosts farmers’ markets and sells weekly fruit and vegetable boxes to locals.
Purchase this fabulous new book The Field Guide to Victorian Produce, or indulge in the sumptuous articles on the associated blog http://www.locavored.com/
NSW
Sydney - Food Connect
All over
Sustainable Table  - an environmental not-for-profit organisation that uses food as an entrée to explore sustainability issues.  Purchase the book and explore more resources.


Live elsewhere in Australia?  See this page on the Food Connect website with a list of CSAs in other places.

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Take 3 initiative & single use plastics

Story by Biome's Online Manager:  Some of the Biome team recently attended a screening of the documentary BAG IT, which was promoted by Queensland Conservation and TAKE 3.

We learned how garbage and litter flows from our waterways out to sea and the harm it causes to water birds and sea life as well as our fragile ocean eco systems.

Turtles, who apparently eat everything, are attracted to floating plastic bags because they look like jelly fish.  While, all over the Pacific, albatross chicks are fed junk by their parents who mistake pieces of plastic for food and bring them back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year thousands of baby birds die from starvation, toxicity, and choking.  Carcases of these birds are found decaying with bits of plastic sitting in their stomach cavities still perfectly in tact.

 

TAKE 3 is “A Clean Beach Initiative” where you are encouraged to take at least 3 pieces of rubbish when you leave the beach, waterway or anywhere. You may not have put the rubbish there but you have the ability to take it away and make a difference. If we participate in this simple act and pass on this message we can help stop the damage our litter is causing to our fragile oceans and waterways.

There is no "away"

The documentary BAG IT is a light hearted look at the effect our addiction to single use packaging has in the world. We saw that although we think we are doing the “right thing” by recycling, most plastics are in fact not recyclable and get filtered into landfill.  Further, a huge amount of our “unwashed” plastics are being shipped to China and India to be processed in deplorable conditons.  Container ships are full when they come here carrying fast moving consumer goods, but they are empty on the return leg.  This makes it an inexpensive prospect to ship our garbage around the world to be processed by cheap labour, starting with sorting the heaps of stinking waste.  

The better solution is clearly to avoid plastics in the first place, or to re-use plastics many times before they are sent to "recycling".

Things you can do

• TAKE 3 - pick up other people's rubbish. We can greatly reduce the amount of marine debris in our oceans by preventing it from getting there in the first place.
• Reduce & re-use - use your reusable shopping bags and Onya Weigh grocery bags instead of plastic bags.
• Take your own container to the grocery store and shop from the Deli for meats and cheeses, or take them to the take-away from where you buy lunch and Friday night Thai. You can use stainless steel lunchboxes or glass containers that are BPA free.  
• Sign a petition to support the introduction of acontainer deposit system in Australia which will significantly increase the recycling rates of glass, plastic and aluminium drink containers. 
• Small plastic caps are not recyclable for many reasons, so although it's hard to believe, the responsible consumers are the ones who throw their plastic caps and lids into the rubbish instead of the recycling bin!  For this reason, try not to buy things with small plastic lids or get creative with them instead of throwing them away. 
• Watch the BAG IT documentary.  Find our where it is screening in Australia hosted by Tim Silverwood or visit the official BAG IT movie site.

 

You know how handmade soap gets all goopey on a soap dish? It’s because the soap sits in water and makes your lovely soap disappear faster. You can make this little soap dish with plastic lids that would usually be thrown away, to keep your soap dry by allowing excess water to drain away faster.

Here's another cool way to reuse your plastic drink bottles and lids. Vertical herb gardens are great for small spaces like balconies. 

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Mineral makeup foundation

Musq - winner of the 2012 Natural Beauty Award for best foundation

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Millions of women in Australia and around the world are ditching the chemicals found in conventional cosmetics in favour of beautiful natural products that are better for your skin, your health and the environment!  Are you joining them?  Today’s mineral makeup foundations provide beautiful results and the formulations are so advanced you won’t miss those nasty petrochemical-based products one bit!  

In our busy little mineral makeup corner of the store, the question most often asked is how to choose the right mineral foundation.  Would I be best with a cream, liquid or powder? What colour best matches my skin?    

Prepared by Biome's mineral makeup expert, here's a helpful guide to foundation perfection.  

1.     Choose your formulation - Cream, Liquid or Powder?

Choose the correct formulation for your skin’s needs.

One of our most popular powders

Oily  -   Powder

On Oily skins powder helps to eliminate excess moisture and give a flawless, shine-free finish.

Oily skins can sometimes use a liquid foundation, but must be sure to powder well to stop the makeup ‘sliding’. Touch ups with powder during the day are also a great idea to keep you looking polished.

Pro Tip: Try using a Rose Water or Hydrosol spray like Mokosh hydrosol toner after powder foundation application to help ‘set’ the makeup. This will create a gorgeous ‘natural skin’ look.

Sante cream foundation                           

Dry -  Liquid or Cream

Choose Liquid or Cream foundations for their hydrating properties.  Powders can be drying on this skin type, causing a rough, or chalky appearance. If you would like to use a powder foundation, just be sure to prepare your skin accordingly. It’s important to exfoliate and moisturise well.

Pro Tip: For longer wearing makeup and a more polished look, apply a light dusting of powder after your foundation. A light spray of rose water or hydrosol will help set the look.

Musq mineral powder foundation

Combination  - Powder or Liquid

Combination skins can use either a powder or a liquid foundation.  Powder foundations are great for combination skin as they help to absorb any excess oil and combat unwanted shine. The trick here is to apply more coverage in your oilier zones while using more sparingly in other areas.

Pro Tip: When using liquid foundations, those with combination skin should apply a dusting of powder, focusing on their oily zones, after their foundation to prevent the makeup from ‘breaking up’ in their oiler zones later in the day.

2.     Choose your shade – Know your Skin Tone and Depth

Is your skin Fair, Medium or Deep? Remembering that this may vary in Summer and Winter.

Secondly, is your skin tone Cool, Warm or Neutral?

Cool: You have blue/green eyes, may sunburn/freckle easily, your natural hair colour is blond/light brown, you look good in bright pinks, fuschia and muted browns.

Warm:  You have brown/hazel eyes, tan easily, have brown or darker hair, your skin has a slightly yellow/golden tone, you look good in rich browns and navy.

Neutral : If you have two or more characteristics from both Warm and Cool then you are most likely a neutral skin tone.

Now, check this handy table that gives our recommendations on the best Inika, Musq and Sante choices based on the combination of your skin tone and depth.

For example, if you have Fair skin with Cool tone, recommendations for you are Inika Liquid: Cream; Inika Powder: Grace, Nurture, Unity, Strength; Musq Cream: Kalahari; Musq Powder: Kalahari; Sante Liquid: No. 1.

3.     Try them on!

To get the most accurate colour match, always test makeup on your face rather than your hand or wrist. 

Try at least 3 shades. Pick out the shade that you think most suits your skin tone and then pick one shade lighter and one shade darker.

Apply the makeup using brush/cotton tip on clean skin. At your outer jawline (just in front of your ear) use your brush/cotton tip to make a vertical  ‘stripe of each shade. Work it into the skin slightly as you would when applying to your full face.   This area of your face is perfect for testing foundation because you can see how the makeup affects any pigmentation, your overall skin tone and ensures it will blend into your neck seamlessly.

The aim here is to find a shade that is almost undetectable. If you’ve got the coverage you need and you can’t see it on your skin, you’re onto a winner!

Browse our mineral makeup ranges ...  Inika, Musq, Sante and our Makeup brushes.

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