Your war on waste

Did you watch ABC’s War On Waste series and feel inspired to make small positive changes to reduce your environmental footprint? Here are some quick and easy ways you can reduce your waste inspired by the topics highlighted in the War On Waste series.

Your war on waste starts here:

1. Reusable coffee cup

Reduce your disposable coffee cup waste by using a reusable coffee cup. We use approximately one billion disposable coffee cups each year, making this single use item one of the largest contributors to waste along with plastic bottles and bags. People forget that it’s not just about the waste at the end, but the precious non-renewable resources that go into making those takeaway items in the first place. Simple changes such as using a reusable coffee cup can reduce a significant amount of waste and pollution, and of course save precious resources.

2. #Banthebag

Australians are the second highest waste producers in the world, producing on average 690 kilograms of waste per person each year. Plastic bags are one of Australia’s largest environmental hazards with over 3.92 billion plastic bags used and disposed each year. Using reusable shopping and produce bags instead of plastic disposable ones will greatly reduce your contribution to landfill. Take part in influencing change to #banthebag - more details here.

3. Start a zero-waste kit

A zero-waste kit makes it easy for you to eat and drink waste-free while out-and-about. You can make up your own kit depending on the items you use most, but generally a zero-waste kits includes a reusable water bottle, cup, container, straw, cutlery and napkin. Take your zero-waste kit everywhere you go and you will never have to use single use disposable items again.

4. Reduce wardrobe waste

Wear what you have in the wardrobe and don’t give in to buying a new item of clothing just because it’s in fashion. Instead, visit your local op-shop or swap clothes with a friend. If you do need to buy brand new, buy ethically made clothing from environmentally friendly materials.

5. Reduce household waste

Australia’s dependence on landfill as a waste management system is greatly affecting the environment with waste increasing at a compound growth rate of 7.8 per cent per annum. When buying food, reduce your food miles as much as possible by purchasing direct from your local farmer. Where possible, avoid purchasing pre-packaged food and opt for buying in bulk from a local wholesaler. Reduce your use of single use plastics by using non-toxic containers to store your purchases. The recycling service offered by most local councils is a great environmentally friendly initiative that makes it easy for every household to reduce their contribution to landfill. Keep a separate bin in your kitchen for recyclables and regularly sort out your general waste from your recycling. When a valuable household item breaks, don’t discard it – fix it. Society has become accustom to throwing away items that can easily be repaired. The next time something breaks, don’t throw it away, head to your local hardware store instead. Reduce, recycle and repair!

6. Compost

Composting your food scraps not only provides you with nutrient rich fertiliser for your garden, it also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by landfill. Plant matter requires air to decompose properly, therefore when placed in landfill among other chemically produced waste, it doesn’t decay cleanly. The dense layers trap the waste and generate an anaerobic environment which causes the plant matter to produce methane gas as it decays, harming the ozone layer with potent greenhouse gases. Instead of discarding food scraps in the general waste bin opt for a compost bin. The design of compost bins has evolved making it easy for everyone to compost their scraps. From small Bokashi Bins for units to large bins for houses, the new designs prevent smells leaching out and flies getting in making it more desirable to use a compost bin.


Start implementing these small changes into your daily routine and you will discover just how easy it is to reduce your waste.


Related: The environmental impact of plastic straws; The true environmental costs of disposable coffee cups; Top environmental documentaries to watch

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How to detox your home

Most of us are focused on living a healthy life whether it be exercising regularly, eating healthy foods or reducing internal toxins, however detoxing the home is an area that is commonly overlooked but can benefit your health and wellbeing greatly.

The average home contains between 500 to 1000 chemicals. From the cleaning products used weekly, to the physical walls and floors of the home, there are many toxic chemicals lurking in our possessions that surround us every day. Detoxing your home can seem overwhelming at first but if you start by making small changes, you are more likely to continue to reduce your chemical exposure over time. Changes can be as simple as swapping to natural alternatives or opening your windows more regularly to let in fresh air.

Chemical free cleaning
Cleaning is a daily household task that can significantly increase your exposure to chemicals. Most commercial cleaning products contain a concoction of harmful chemicals that are known carcinogens, skin irritants and hormone disruptors. To reduce your daily exposure to these chemicals, swap your chemical produced cleaning products to plant-based and palm oil free alternatives, or make your own.

Reducing plastic
Plastic kitchen products contain numerous toxic chemicals and when used, especially heated, can emit toxins and leach chemicals into the food or liquid contained inside. Reduce your use of plastic products in your kitchen, especially ones that contain Bisphenol A (BPA). Instead, use glass or stainless steel containers, and bamboo or wooden cooking and cleaning utensils.

Freshening the air
Reducing odours in your home is usually a top priority for every houseproud person, however commercial home fragrance products are commonly produced using a toxic concoction of synthetic fragrances. The self-regulated fragrance industry selects from over 4000 chemicals to produce their products and due to proprietary knowledge regulations, companies are not legally required to disclose the ingredients used in each product. Most of the chemicals used in this industry have previously never been tested and the ones that have been tested, are assigned a ‘safe dose’ that permits use in low quantities. This ‘safe dose’ is taken in isolation and does not account for a person’s daily exposure to other harmful chemicals. Instead of using synthetic home fragrance products, opt for 100% pure essential oils. They contain no harmful chemicals and will make your home smell fresh and inviting to any unexpected visitors. Another alternative is to regularly open your windows to refresh the air inside your home.

Creating ambiance 
Although they enhance the home’s atmosphere, most commercial scented candles contribute greatly to indoor air pollution. Most chemical produced candles are made from paraffin wax which is derived from petroleum. During the manufacturing process, the petroleum is chemically bleached and deodorised to turn it into wax. When candles containing paraffin wax are lit, they emit hazardous toxins including benzene and toluene which are both known carcinogens and comparative to the toxins in second-hand smoke. If you love the ambiance candles create, try to avoid purchasing candles that are made from chemicals and buy natural bees wax candles instead.

Detoxing your home can greatly benefit your health, the environment and save you money in the long term.

Related: Zero waste toxin free washing; Plastic free living; The health impacts of synthetic fragrance

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Zero waste toxin free washing

The laundry is one area in the home that can contain many chemical produced cleaning products. From washing powder to stain remover, most commercial cleaning products used to wash clothes and household linens are usually laden with toxic chemicals including fragrance, surfactants, stabilizers, bleach, dioxane, brighteners and phosphates.

When chemical laundry detergents are used, toxins are released into the air, washed down the drain and absorbed into the fabric of the garments you wear each day. This not only impacts your health but degrades the quality of our oceans and threatens marine biodiversity. To significantly reduce your daily exposure to chemicals and reduce your impact on the environment, simply swap to a natural laundry detergent.

Soapberries are a natural, chemical free and zero waste alternative to conventional laundry detergent. Commonly referred to as ‘soap nuts’, Soapberries are the fruit produced by the Sapindus Mukorossi tree. The shell has high levels of ‘saponin’ which reduces the surface tension of the water to remove dirt and leaves fabrics soft and clean. They are hypo-allergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and odourless, making them perfect for people prone to skin sensitivities and allergies.

Soapberries can also be used as a multi-purpose liquid soap. Simply boil a few berries for fifteen minutes. The soapy water can then be used to wash hands, surfaces, hair and dishes.

The most exciting eco-friendly aspect of soapberries, is the berries can be composted or placed in the garden to decompose once you are finished using them. They are completely zero-waste.

Make a small change for your health and the environment and change the way you wash your clothes.


Related: What toxic chemicals are in your toothpaste?; Looming health hazards of synthetic chemical repellents; Why is BPA the only concern?

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Natural toxin free deodorant

Sweating is the body’s natural process of expelling toxins. When using an anti-perspirant deodorant you prevent your body from sweating and releasing toxins.

Natural deodorants allow your body to sweat but control the odour causing bacteria that forms when your body expels these toxins. They are formulated to allow your body to perspire but block the bacteria that causes odour as opposed to anti-perspirants that commonly use Aluminium to prevent perspiration. Made from plants and minerals, natural deodorants are free from ingredients commonly found in most anti-perspirant deodorants including petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances and Aluminium Chlorohydrate.

Natural deodorant formulations are actually very simple and are primarily made from coconut oil or shea butter together with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and essential oils for fragrance. The ingredients should be simple and easily recognisable. Avoid any ingredients that have numbers or complex chemical names.

Natural deodorants are suitable for many, though not all, people with sensitive skin as they are made from plants and minerals and are free from ingredients that commonly irritate sensitive skin.

Even natural ingredients such as certain essential oils and even coconut oil can cause reactions in some people. There is also a reasonable number of people who react negatively to bicarbonate of soda and develop a rash. Such people should look for deodorants where baking soda is further down the list of ingredients.

When you use natural deodorant for the first time, you may experience a detox period through your armpits. This is likely to occur as it’s your body’s natural process of restoring its PH and armpit health. The detox period could last up to two weeks and effects could be odour, redness or rash, but please don’t let this put you off. It’s worth persevering to switch to a non-toxic solution.

Because the ingredients are so simple, making your own deodorant is quite popular. Here is a recipe for homemade natural deodorant.

Related: Cutting chemicals out of cosmetics; The health impacts of synthetic fragrance; What is in your sunscreen?

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Plastic free living

Each year, over 300 million tons of plastic is manufactured worldwide. It is estimated by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish floating in the ocean with over 46,000 pieces polluting every square mile of the sea.

Plastic pollution is nearing crisis point. We have produced more plastic in the first ten years of this century then we have in the whole of the last twentieth century. It is now more important than ever before for all Australians to reduce their plastic use and lead the plastic free movement.

Society’s view and reliance on plastic has lead us down an environmentally destructive path. Rather than seeing plastic as a precious petrochemical resource that contaminates our environment, we see it as a convenient, affordable and disposable product. Plastic never breaks down entirely. Every piece of plastic manufactured still remains in some form and continues to pollute our environment and endanger our wildlife.

Using plastic free products and refusing single use plastics is the easiest way to live a plastic free life. Use alternative plastic free products made from glass, stainless steel, organic cotton, hemp, jute, bamboo and wood, and avoid any excess plastic packaging.

Reducing the use of plastic is not only good for the environment but your health too. Plastic is made from a concoction of chemicals and releases tons of toxic emissions during its production, transportation and disposal. Some chemicals used in plastic production are known carcinogens and hormone disruptors. By living a plastic free life, you are eliminating your exposure to numerous chemicals and reducing your impact on the environment.

Five ways to reduce your use of plastic:

1. Use reusable products
Carry around a reusable pack containing reusable cutlery, a straw, food container, drink bottle, coffee cup and bag to avoid using single use disposable plastics when out and about.

2. Use non-plastic food storage containers
Store your food in glass or stainless steel containers to avoid any toxic chemicals leaching into your food.

3. Buy in bulk
Buy your food in bulk from a wholefoods supplier and use glass or stainless steel storage jars to eliminate plastic food packaging.

4. Use beeswax or vegan food wraps
Plastic food wrap is the worst single use kitchen product. Swap this for reusable beeswax or vegan food wraps.

5. Plastic free shopping
When shopping, use reusable produce bags and shopping bags to avoid using single use plastic bags.


Related: Pledge single use plastic free in July; The environmental impact of plastic straws; Why is BPA the only concern?

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Why it is better to eat seasonally

Seasonal eating is often promoted by heath practitioners for it nutritional benefits. When produce is harvested at the peak of its season, it is full of beneficial nutrients and flavour, however there are additional benefits to seasonal eating that extend beyond the body and tastebuds.

When you eat produce that is grown locally and in season, you not only support local farmers, but reduce your environmental footprint by minimising your food miles. We are fortunate to live in an era and country where we have access to a large array of produce year-round, but what can be deceiving about this is the environmental impact of this offering. Like flowers, fruit and vegetables grow in season. Citrus fruits are at their peak in winter or cooler climates, and tropical fruits ripen in summer or in tropical climates.

When certain produce is out of season, supermarkets import them from other countries with opposing seasons to maintain their offering. The imported produce has usually been harvested earlier to ensure it doesn’t spoil and will be ripe by the time it reaches stores. The produce is placed in a shipping container and shipped to its intended destination, using countless tonnes of fuel and expelling pollution in the meantime.

Instead of eating produce that is available from supermarkets opt for purchasing produce from your local farmer’s markets or green grocer as it would have been grown locally, picked in season and have significantly less impact on the environment.

Below is a guide to help you buy produce in season. This guide may differ slightly depending on your location.

Autumn:

Fruits: avocado, apple, blackberries, banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, fig, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew, kiwi fruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, mango, mangosteen, nashi, orange, papaya, passionfruit, peach, pear, persimmon, plum, pomegranate, prickly pear, quince, rambutan, raspberries, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries, tamarillo

Vegetables: artichoke, asian greens, avocado, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, choko, corn, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, fennel, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onion, spring onions, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, radish, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, sweet potato, tomato, turnip, watercress, witlof, zucchini

Winter:

Fruits: Apple, avocado, cumquat, custard apple, Feijoa, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, Lime, mandarin, nashi, orange, lemon, Pear, persimmon, pineapple, quince, Rhubarb, tamarillo, tangelo

Vegetables: asian greens, avocado, beetroot, broccoli, broccolini, broad beans, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, Chokos, fennel, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, leek, Lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onion, spring onion, parsnip, Peas, snow peas, potato, pumpkin, radish, shallot, Silverbeet, spinach, swede, sweet potato, turnip

Spring:

Fruits: Apple, asparagus, avocado, banana, blueberries, cantaloupe, Cherry, cumquat, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi fruit, lemon, Lime, loquat, lychee, mandarin, mango, Mulberries, orange, papaya, pepino, pineapple, Rhubarb, strawberries, tarfruit, tangelo, watermelon

Vegetables: Artichoke, asian greens, avocado, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, Cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, choko, corn, Cucumber, daikon, eggplant, fennel, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, Okra, onion, Spring onion, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, Radish, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, sweet potato, tomato, turnip, watercress, witlof, zucchini

Summer:

Fruits: Apple, apricot, banana, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, Cantaloupe, cherries, currants, fig, grapefruit, Grapes, honeydew, lemon, loganberries, lychee, Mango, mulberries, nectarine, orange, passionfruit, Peach, pear, plum, pineapple, rambutan, Raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tamarillo, watermelon

Vegetables: Asparagus, avocado, beans, beetroot, cabbage, Capsicum, carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, Daikon, eggplant, leek, lettuce, okra, Onion, spring onion, peas, snow peas, sugar snap peas, Potato, radish, shallot, silverbeet, squash, Tomato, watercress, zucchini, zucchini flower

Related: Because native bees matter; The health impacts of synthetic fragrance; Plastic free living

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Because native bees matter



Bees play a significant role in our food chain. They are responsible for one third of the world’s produce, however millions of beehives have unknowingly disappeared worldwide. Up to one fourth of all colonies have been destroyed, with losses reaching up to 80% on some farms.

Australian native bees play an important role in the ongoing development of our native ecosystem. There are over 1500 varieties of native bees which are more fragile than the introduced European honeybees and have suffered greatly from urban deforestation. Over the years, they have co-evolved with Australia’s native flora resulting in many species relying solely on native bees for cross pollination.

Honeybees are important for the earth’s bionetwork, however they pose a threat to Australia’s native fauna and flora as they rival other animals for tree hollows and floral resources. The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species of Conservation Act have highlighted the species at risk of being displaced from hollows by rivalry honeybees which include the Brush-tailed Phascogale, Squirrel Glider, Yellow-bellied Glider, Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Regent Parrot, Brushtail Possum, Greater Glider and Sugar Glider. Other native animal’s honeybees threaten include honey eaters and native bees due to their ability to remove more than 80 per cent of the floral resources produced from their frequent visits. Certain plant species are also vulnerable to honeybees as their process of pollen removal affects their seed set preventing correct crosspollination.

We can protect Australia’s future bionetwork by providing a safe place for native bees to live and by planting specific plants to attract them to our gardens. Most native bees are solitary and rise their young in hollows and tiny nooks. Bee Houses provide a perfect place for native bees to nest and be protected from the harsh elements or predators.

Anyone can create a bee friendly garden regardless of the size or location of your backyard. Planting a variety of flowering plants will help to attract many species of bees to your garden. The list below is not extensive but offers a variety of bee friendly plants to get you started in creating a haven for bees in your garden. For more information, read A Bee Friendly Garden. It provides a thorough guide to encouraging bees and other good bugs to your green space.

Bee friendly plants

Herbs: Basil, Corriander, Rosemary, Borage, Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Fennel, Sage, Rocket, Lavender, Chives, Mint and Rocket.

Fruit and vegies: Lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Passionfruit, Strawberries, Cucumbers, Squash, Raspberries, Apples, Avocado, Watermelons, Pumpkins and Peppers.

Flowers and trees: Alyssum, Cornflower, Lilly Pilly, Cosmos, Poppies, Echinacea, Eucalyptus, Echium, Forget-me-not, Foxglove, Callistemon (Bottlebrushes), Geranium, Marigold, Roses, Sunflowers, Zinnia, Banksia and Grevilleas.


Related: Why it is better to eat seasonally; Top environmental documentaries to watch; How to detox your home

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Top environmental documentaries to watch

Under the Dome (2013)

Theme: Air Pollution

About: This documentary which uncovers the state of China’s air pollution and its long-term effects became a viral sensation when released clocking up over 200 million views in its first weekend before it was removed from all major Chinese websites. Renowned investigative journalist Chai Jing uncovers the leading contributors to the country's toxic smog and criticises the government’s actions in preventing this issue from getting worse.

A Plastic Ocean (2016)

Theme: Plastic and ocean pollution

About: This feature-length adventure documentary reveals the full extent of our global disposable lifestyle uncovering the shocking truth about the state of our oceans. Brought together by an international team of adventures, researchers and ocean ambassadors, this documentary captures never-before-seen footage of the damaging extent of plastic pollution on our oceans and marine life.

How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change (2016)

Theme: Climate Change

About: Oscar Nominated director Josh Fox sheds light on climate change by traveling to 12 countries on 6 continents to understand our future and explore the human qualities that global warming can't destroy.

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014)

Theme: Animal agriculture

About: Until Cowspiracy was released, the environmental impacts of the animal agriculture industry were almost entirely unchallenged. Animal agriculture is the primary contributor to many environmentally damaging processes including deforestation, water consumption and pollution, mass greenhouse gas production, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion and ocean dead zones. This ground-breaking feature-length documentary revels the destructive nature of this industry and investigates the reasons environmental organisations are fearful to challenge this industry.

More Than Honey (2013)

Theme: Colony collapse disorder

About: Bees play a significant role in our food chain. They are responsible for one third of the world’s produce, however millions of beehives have unknowingly disappeared worldwide. Up to one fourth of all colonies have been destroyed, with losses reaching up to 80% on some farms. Oscar-nominated director Markus Imhoof investigates the sudden demise of the world’s bee population, also known as colony collapse disorder.

The Human Experiment (2013)

Theme: Chemical exposure

About: This full-length feature documentary analyses our exposure to untested chemicals in products we use daily including toothpaste and cleaning products, and examines links to the rise of many diseases. It follows the stories of people personally affected by chemicals and exposes the corrupt system the powerful and profitable chemical industry tries to hide from consumers.


Related: The state of Australia’s waste; The true environmental costs of disposable coffee cups; Looming health hazards of synthetic chemical repellents

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Consumer power - Emma Watson quote

Small changes, big impact!

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Alexx Stuart 30 day low tox life e course

So peaceful and clean.  Image source: http://bestpaperz.com/ct/8903757-stone-mountain.html

Lighten your toxin load to end the year on a healthy high with Alexx Stuart's 30 days to a low tox life e course. starting 15 October 2014.

For only $49 for the month of sessions plus all the course materials, you will learn how to:

• shop green
• make more green stuff yourself
• be a peaceful person
• choose great pantry, cookware and bake ware
• minimise your electronic exposure effects
• avoid 'greenwashing'
• avoid the top carcinogenic chemicals
• avoid hormone altering chemicals in your personal household care
• become a super sleuth that can spot a dodgy ingredient a mile away

Alexx has a lot of expertise to share and the e course is her way of sharing that knowledge with a whole bunch of people as time effectively as possible.  The 30 days to your low tox life e course is a simple, guilt free approach to lowering your toxic load. Your journey to ditching the weirdo, harmful chemicals all around us will be fun and empowering, NOT filled with fear, guilt or difficulty.

We're really looking forward to the course ourselves with several of the Biome team signing up; plus, Biome founder Tracey Bailey will participate in the expert sessions.

We love that it is all about positivity, encouragement, empowering you with the knowledge and motivation to make small but significant changes.

Among the course inclusions are a private Facebook group, expert interview sessions, an email a day, e course book and product guide, giveaways to the participants, access to Alexx to answer all your questions & more ...

Learn more and enroll in the 30 days to a low tox life e course here >
This is an affiliate link for which we may receive some commission.


About Alexx Stuart





Alexx is an avid researcher and recipe creator and shares her findings, recipes, endeavours and experiences on her blog and through her Facebook community. Her food philosophy: Keep it real. Keep it unrefined. Try for organic as much as possible.  With thyroid issues and PCOS, Alexx tends to stay away from most grains and sugars. She is also interested in traditional foods & food as medicine, how big business affects the food we eat and the products we use today. 

Alexx's Real Food Manifesto image is popular on Pinterest!

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About Vinegar, Imitation Vinegar, Acetic Acid, and E260.

Beauty and the Bees Tasmania

Following our last blog post questioning whether all vinegar was 'eco' and may have been made from petrochemicals, Australian Vinegar CEO, Ian Henderson (whose Australian made distilled vinegar we referenced in the article) received a lot of emails from people eager for more information.  We are thrilled that so many people are interested in questioning how products are made, what from, and where.  We love being part of a an engaged community of conscious consumers who want change for the better.

Ian was also pleased about the interest in vinegar, but has clarified that my hunch about home brand bulk vinegars being made from petrochemical derived acetic acid was not correct.  I was so delighted to receive a phone call from Ian and his help by preparing this blog post.  Please check out their Australian Vinegar family company.

In his post below, Ian explains that Australian Food Standards dictate that when pure acetic acid that has been made from petrochemicals is mixed with water and sold as food, it must be labelled “Imitation Vinegar”.   Ian says that if we buy a product made in Australia that is labelled as vinegar, it will be made from ethanol that is either grain based or sugar based. 

Everything you ever wanted to know about Vinegar, Imitation Vinegar, Acetic Acid and E260.  By Ian Henderson, CEO and principal Vinegar Maker at Australian Vinegar. 

Vinegar is a great cleaning tool. It’s a good weedkiller and a great preservative of food. It has so many uses. We thoroughly recommend its use in cleaning.

However, there is miss-information around Vinegar, Imitation vinegar, acetic acid and E260 that I would like to address so everyone can make their own educated decisions.

Q: What is Synthetic Acetic Acid
A: There is no such thing. There is only acetic acid, which can be made a number of ways. But regardless of how it is made it is still just acetic acid made of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen molecules. C2H4O2 There is several ways to make acetic acid, and some confuse the method with the term Synthetic.

Vinegar always contains Acetic Acid. Plus maybe flavour, sweetness, or malliard Sugars (they make Balsamic black, but that’s another story)

Q: How can Acetic Acid be made?
A: There are 3 methods:
1.       By oxidation under high temperature of Ethyl Acetate (from oil usually, but not always)
2.       By fermentation of Ethanol by a bacteria called Aceterbacter.
3.       By Fermentation of sugar by a bacteria called Gluconobacter.

Method 3 is very rare, slow and difficult.  Almost all vinegars are made using method 2 from ethanol derived from yeast fermentation of grain or sugar.  Vinegar fermentation is simply a part of the carbon cycle, returning carbon back to the soil from fruit that hasn’t been eaten and fallen form the tree.

Q: So what is the difference between the three products produced above?
A: Method 1 produces pure acetic acid, that if mixed with water can be sold as food under the label “Imitation Vinegar” and not the term “Vinegar”.

Methods 2 and 3 can be sold as vinegar provided the amount of acetic acid is greater than 4%. This is for food safety as this is the level required to stop moulds growing in vinegar.

Imitation vinegar is pure acetic acid (yes, petrochemical derived) and water.  Whereas fermented vinegar is pure ethanol (usually from grain or sugar) fermented into pure acetic acid and then mixed with water.  We have done the trials ourselves, even under mass spectrometry analysis the two vinegars are essentially chemically identical. 

Acetic acid vinegars must be declared as “Imitation Vinegar”.  If it is fermented it can be declared as just “vinegar”. The law surrounding this is governed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (Called FSANZ).   The FSANZ law on this is very clear (see the extract below).

If you start with wine, instead of pure ethanol you get wine vinegar, is you ferment apple cider you get apple cider vinegar. The source of the alcohol defines the end product.

Q: What is food additive 260?
This is pure acetic acid. It may or may not come from fermentation. But it probably does not come from fermentation, so it is best to assume is the pure acetic acid form (method 1 above).

Q: What is Distilled Vinegar? Why is it different to just “Vinegar”?
Sometimes, because the ethanol used to make white vinegar is fermented to a low concentration it needs to be “distilled” to remove excess water and concentrate the ethanol.  Sometimes you will see “Distilled Vinegar” on the label. Distilled Vinegar and just plain vinegar are the same product. Its just a bit of marketing.   Rest assured, if it had added acetic acid from oil it would not say “Vinegar” or it would have to have food additive 260 on the label.

Q: So what does my cheap white vinegar at the supermarket contain?
The plain white vinegar you can buy at the supermarket, if labelled “Vinegar” is fermented. If it is not from grain or sugar it will declare “Imitation Vinegar” or food acid 260.
Its actually rare to see imitation vinegar in retail. Its used a lot in industry, and a lot of preserved foods are declared with food acid 260.  I have never seen it for sale at a grocery store, only real “Vinegar”.

Q Cleaning vs cooking vinegar?
You can cook with white vinegar, but don’t.  Its flavourless.  Use a nice wine vinegar or apple vinegar. You get the acid that will make the dish lift, plus you get some extra flavours.  Choose cooking vinegars with lots of colour, lots of flavour and ideally with no sulphites or added colours. Know your producer, know how they make it and where they source the alcohol from.

Vinegar also has health and digestion benefits. But not all vinegars do. That’s a whole other topic for next time.

About Australian Vinegar and Ian Henderson

Ian has two science degrees and a diploma in vinegar making from Austria where he studied and worked in 2006. Ian was awarded a Churchill fellowship to study vinegar making in Europe. Ian is the CEO and principal Vinegar Maker at Australian Vinegar. Australian Vinegar is Australia’s leading vinegar maker.  LiraH is the retail brand of Australian Vinegar and makes a range of caramelised balsamics, wine vinegars, apple vinegars and Verjus.

An interesting tidbit: Ian started with a vinegar 'mother' from his wife's family of third generation winemakers, and after much trial and error  launched his first commercial product under the LiraH brand-Oak Aged Shiraz vinegar.

Excerpt from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act

FSANZ  Standard 2.10.1      Vinegar and related products
       Note 1  This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.
       Note 2  The provisions of the Code that apply in New Zealand are incorporated by reference into a food standard under the Food Act 1981 (NZ). See also section 1.1.1—3.
2.10.1—1           Name
                This Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code — Standard 2.10.1 — Vinegar and related products.
2.10.1—2           Definitions
          Note  In this Code (see section 1.1.2—3):
                                      imitation vinegar means a food that:
                                            (a)     is prepared by mixing water and acetic acid; and
                                            (b)     contains no less than 40 g/kg of acetic acid.
                                      vinegar means a food that:
                                            (a)     consists of the sour liquid prepared by acetous fermentation, with or without alcoholic fermentation, of any suitable foodstuff, and including blends and mixtures of such liquids; and
                                           (b)     contains no less than 40 g/kg of acetic acid.

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How does vinegar kill germs? And is vinegar eco friendly?

Australian Vinegar makes distilled traditional vinegar in South East Queensland.

 Answering a quick question is not so simple in some matters eco-friendly!

Because we are often suggesting vinegar as an eco friendly household cleaner and disinfectant, I wanted to understand how vinegar does kill germs.

It is the acetic acid in vinegar that kills bacteria and viruses by denaturing (chemically changing) the proteins and fats that make-up these nasties (source: Professor Peter Collignon, see below).  Most general purpose white vinegars contain about 5% acetic acid.

The stronger the acetic acid content the more effective the vinegar will be at disinfecting. 

Unfortunately, due to the lack of transparency in food labelling by mass food producers, it is hard to find a vinegar that states the acetic acid percentage or even what it is made from.  Generally the ingredients just say "Vinegar".  You may find some boutique brands of cooking vinegar that do give the percentage. 

Some "vinegar" is made from petrochemicals (but will be labelled "Imitation vinegar")

What we are presented with as vinegar today is not necessarily the vinegar "that our grandmothers used to clean with".  As with many products in our modern world, cheap petrochemical processes are corrupting how nature intended things to be done.

All vinegar contains acetic acid.  Acetic acid is the chemical name for the naturally occurring substance that is created from distilling or fermenting a grain or plant.  However, it is also the name given to acetic acid that is made from petrochemical derivatives such as butane.

Companies such as Monsanto and BP manufacture acetic acid on large scale that involves using carbon monoxide and methanol to create a chemical reaction, or heating butane in the presence of metal ions such as manganese, cobalt and chromium, which decomposes to produce acetic acid.

This is the pure acetic acid often used in foods as an acidity regulator and is labelled E260

Given the lack of any information on the packaging, I had a hunch that "home brand" bulk white vinegar most likely contained acetic acid not made from fermented grains, rather petrochemical-derived ethanol. However, Australian Vinegar CEO, Ian Henderson, has explained that Australian Food Standards dictate that when pure acetic acid that has been made by oxidation under high temperature of Ethyl Acetate (including from oil) is mixed with water and sold as food, it must be labelled “Imitation Vinegar”.  This appears to be different to the Food Standards in the USA.

Ian is adamant that if we buy a product made in Australia that is labelled as vinegar, it will be made from ethanol that is either grain based or sugar based. 

The home brand vinegar I looked at says on the label "product of Australia".  And according to the ACCC, 'Product of' means that each significant ingredient or part of the product originated in the country claimed and almost all of the production processes occurred in that country.

However, Ian does say that E260 pure acetic acid may or may not come from fermentation, but probably does not (instead coming from petrochemicals), so it is best to assume it does not.  Thus it appears worthwhile to avoid E260 in foods.

We were pleased to find an Australian vinegar maker based in south east Queensland making vinegar from distillation.  See here a post Ian has written for us to clarify any miss-information around Vinegar, Imitation vinegar, synthetic acid, acetic acid and E260.

Australian Vinegar specialises in technically challenging 'Clean Labelled' vinegar which is free from allergens, sulphites, artificial colours and flavours and all 'E' numbers.  LiraH is the retail brand of Australian vinegar and makes caramelised balsamics, wine vinegars, apple vinegars and Verjus.

Thank you to TheEcoMum blog for your detailed article on the topic of petrochemical derived acetic acid.  Please read that article if you are interested in delving further, although the information about Australian Food Standards is not correct according to Ian.

Vinegar to kill germs

Back to using vinegar to kill germs.  According to Ian Henderson, whether acetic acid is made from petrochemicals or distillation, the end product is the exact same chemical structure (the magic of chemistry).  That said, if you are wishing to reduce the use of petrochemicals in our world, the source of the ingredients is important.  For others, using any white vinegar to clean is still a far preferable solution than toxic bleaches and ammonia.

Professor Peter Collignon recommends that when cleaning at home we should keep it simple.

Rather than concentrating on disinfecting or killing the bugs, we should focus on cleaning with hot soapy water and good old-fashioned elbow grease to physically scrub away organic material.
"You've got to clean the surface first and that's usually enough. Then you have to ask yourself whether you need to disinfect at all," he says.
"For the kitchen sink, for example, you probably don't need anything except cleaning."
However, that dirty chopping board might warrant disinfecting – but only after you've given it a good scrub with hot, soapy water.
It's only the act of rubbing and scrubbing a dirty chopping board that can break down the slimy matrix around certain types of salmonella, allowing the disinfectant to then get to work.
As for commercial cleaners, Collignon says we don't always need the level of disinfection in the home that these products provide.
"We over-use chemicals," he says. "Instead of using one unit, we use 1000 units, and the benefits are marginal."
"All of us would like to use a magic potion so that we don't have to use the elbow grease. But that's a false premise."

If you do need to disinfect, clean first, then disinfect with the least toxic, most biodegradable product that does the job.  Vinegar is at the least toxic and most biodegradable end of the scale when it comes to disinfectants.

I have yet to find in Australia any "cleaning vinegar" labelled with a stronger concentration of acetic acid such as you can find in the United States.  Nor have I found any vinegars promoting that they are made from "non petrochemical sources" as is also happening in the States.  Perhaps due to the fact in Australia it would need to be labelled Imitation Vinegar.

With your consumer purchasing power and questioning of the companies selling "vinegar" on Australian shelves we can achieve greater transparency in labelling.

Sources:
Ian Henderson has two science degrees and a diploma in vinegar making from Austria. Ian was awarded a Churchill fellowship to study vinegar making in Europe. Ian is the CEO and principal Vinegar Maker at Australian Vinegar. 
Professor Peter Collignon, infectious disease physician at the Australian National University's Medical School, who was interviewed for and ABC article. 

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What is the planet happy to give me to eat today?

Yallingup Wood Fired Bakery, Dunsborough, Western Australia uses locally grown biodynamic flour. Photo credit: my bro.

Let's flip around the concept of looking in a recipe book for something that we would like to cook, heading off to the supermarket to buy the required ingredients then coming home to make that for dinner.

Most of us love a little food homage whether admiring the artfully plated meals on MasterChef or glistening images in Donna Hay magazine.  They entice us to create such a delectable dish, but often without thought for whether the planet has those ingredients to offer us sustainably right now.

If we reverse that process, we can instead go the local farmers' market or grocery store, buy what we know has been grown locally and freshly harvested (or even browse our own veggie patch), then look in our recipe books to find a dish that can be crafted from the produce.

For me, the meal at the end of this approach nourishes our family with more than nutrients, it connects us with the earth and the people that grew the goods, and enhances our contentment with life.

Some tips to help you move towards more sustainable food choices:

• Do what you can.  Don't be overwhelmed by changing everything, just open your mind to the possibilities and start!
• Try researching just one food a week to see if you can find a locally grown alternative. 
• Choosing a final product made in your area is a great start, but you can also move on to thinking about where the ingredients were grown.
• Define your own limits for "local" - for example, 200 km may work in the city but not for those living in remote areas.
• It may be challenging to find alternatives, but there are resources to help - seek and you'll find. 

One of the greatest joys of a local, seasonal food approach is that it simplifies life.  You might think it is more complicated, but actually, limiting choice is liberating.

About Yallingup Wood Fired Bread

We visited Yallingup wood fired bakery in December 2013.  Hand crafted, traditional wood fired bread is baked fresh every afternoon (check the time, but usually comes out around 4pm).   Western Australian Certified Biodynamic grown grain is stone milled to the finest flour, gently kneaded in a slow moving dough mixer and fermented over many hours. The loaves are hand-moulded and rested, then baked in wood fired ovens built from volcanic stones.

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Dairy farmers direct

Since the supermarket price wars, many consumers have made a conscious decision to support Aussie dairy farmers by choosing branded milk (such as Dairy Farmers, Pura, Pauls) over the supermarket home brands. 

We think that by choosing the more expensive milk we are helping the farmers.  It's an important gesture, showing with our purchasing power that we believe the production of milk has a true value of more than $1 per litre.  Unfortunately, according to The Checkout on ABC1 by buying those big brand names we're not helping the dairy farmer.  The farmers are actually paid the same for the milk because the milk that ends up in either branded or home brand bottles is bought from the same farms and is processed in the same plants (by Lions and Parmalat) - it's just different packaging. All we're doing by paying more for these big brands is increasing the profit Coles and Woolworths make on the same milk!  

This episode of The Checkout explains, recommending that the best way to help dairy farmers is to buy milk from collectives or direct from a farmer who produces the milk in your region (see a list below).

For those that can, the benefits of buying from local dairy farmers include:

• the milk is less processed and more fresh (retaining more of the nutritional value)
• it has travelled less food miles
• we know the actual farm that produced the milk and thus we can learn more about animal welfare and sustainability practices
• they tend to offer more unique choices such as unhomogenised and glass bottles.  

The welfare and treatment of dairy cows is also of great concern to many people - that is why growing numbers of people choose not to eat any dairy products at all, or want to know specifically how the cows and calves are treated.  Calves being sent to abattoirs is a concerning reality of the dairy industry.  When you know exactly which farm the milk is coming from you can ask the farmer (or even visit to check for yourself).  For example, Barambah Organics gives this statement on its website:

At Barambah Organics all the calves that are born on our property stay within our care. Our calves are not considered by us to be waste products.  At the age of 6 months we take the females and males to our other properties... No Barambah calves are sent to the abbatoir.  We often get asked the question "When are the calves separated from their mothers?" Each calf is different and needs to be individually assessed and monitored after birth... The calf is not separated from its mother until it is truly on its way and fit and healthy.

 

We started a list of dairy farmers direct milk that may be local to you, but then we found this very comprehensive list by Flavourcrusader.com  Thank you to them for the research to help us all.  We have not assessed the sustainability or animal welfare practices of the below.

SE Qld
Scenic Rim 4Real Milk (only distributes within a two hour drive of their South East Queensland farm)
Barambah Organics
Maleny Dairies (seen at FoodWorks)
Cooloola Milk (Gympie region, seen at IGA - Rainbow Beach)
Cooloola Jersey Organic milk (available at Food Connect)

SA
Bd Paris Creek Farm
Fleurieu Milk Co
Alexandrina Milk

NSW
Liddels for lactose free milk (Murrary Goulburn Co-operative)
Devondale long life (Murray Goulburn Co-operative)
Norco (seen at HIlls Bakery - Ferny Hills, Megafresh - Carine, Woollies - Annerley)
Country Valley (Picton)

VIC
Organic Dairy Farmers

WA
Brownes

For unhomognised and unpasteurised (straight from the cow) you can consider raw milk marketed in Australia as "bath milk" (i.e. apparently for bathing in, not for human consumption).  Heavenly Bath Milk from the Northey Street Markets in Brisbane and Cleopatra's Bath Milk at organic/wholefood stores.

As Flavourcrusader.com says:
While supermarkets compete over the price of milk, dairy farmers step out of the ring and compete with quality. For distinct flavour, seek low temperature pasteurisation and milk from a single-origin herd. For creaminess, look for Jersey and Guernsey cows, or unhomogenised milk. For a better world, support those who cultivate rich soil, minimise plastic and go above and beyond for animal welfare.

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Are you "eco-effective"? Inspired by No Impact Man.

How much of our consumption of the planet's resources actually makes us happier and how much just keeps us chained up as wage slaves?

This week in Brisbane we've had a 'No Impact' immersion.  We watched the film No Impact Man, and as Biome founder I was fortunate to take part in a Q&A panel afterwards.  I'm also reading the book, which explores in more depth the impacts that New York City-based author Colin Beavan attempts to negate in his year long lifestyle experiment.  It's a great read that I am finding more effective at changing my habits than other environmental books.

I connected with Beavan's philosophy and the messages that we have conveyed over the years with our eco-retail business--and, based on the world wide interest in his project it seems to be working for many others.  He delves into the motivations of why 'we' spend our lives working to earn money in order to be able to spend it on buying more convenience and material excess in the pursuit of elusive happiness.  These words stood out:  It's not that while trashing the planet the human race is having a party. Quite the opposite. We feel a malaise and guilt that at another time in history might have motivated action, but at this time seems instead to be coupled with a terrible sense of helplessness.

Beavan wanted to find a way to encourage a society that emphasises a little less self-indulgence and a little more kindness to one another and to the planet.  But, if he was to write a book about changing other people, he realised that he ought first to worry about changing his own actions.

And so began his year of inquiry--to put the habitat first and see how that affected his family; and, most importantly when it came to his own despair, was he as helpless to help change the imperilled world we live in as he thought?

"Eco-effective"

Beavan followed the words of the environmental scientists William McDonough and Michael Braungart: "Saving this planet depends on finding a middle path that is neither unconsciously consumerist nor self-consciously anti-materialist. The idea for No Impact Man is not to be anorexic but to be abundant, not to be eco-efficient but "eco-effective."

His philosophy is based not only on reducing consumption but also on changing what is consumed so that it actually helps or at least does not hinder the world.  He argues that humans need to figure out what our world is able to productively offer us rather than considering only what we want.

After all, this harmonious existence is how most other species on earth live.  He illustrates this with the simplicity of examples from nature.  "Lions neither starve themselves nor gorge to the point of wiping out the gazelle population. Instead, they promote the health of the gazelle herd by culling its weaker members and preventing herd overgrowth which in turn prevents overgrazing of the savannah. Animal waste does not poison the ground but fertilizes the soil so that it can produce more vegetation for the animals to eat. Bees feed on the pollen of flowers but far from damaging them they provide the crucial service of pollinating them."

Beavan references the book Cradle to Cradle, where McDonough and Braungart discuss the Menominee tribe of Wisconsin, who have harvested wood for sale from their forested land for many generations.   He writes: "In 1870, the Menominee inventoried 1.3 billion standing board feet of timber on their 235,000 acres. Since then, they have harvested nearly twice that amount--2.25 billion board feet. Considering the "clear-cutting" methods of the corporate lumber merchants you hear about, which completely strips land of its trees, you'd expect that the Menominee would have barely a single tree left...In fact, they have 1.7 billion board feet left, more than they had in 1870, and a thriving forest ecosystem."

"That's because the Menominee tend to cut only the weaker trees, leaving behind the strong mother trees and enough of the upper canopy for the arboreal animals to continue to inhabit. They have figured out what the forest can productively offer them instead of considering only what they want to take from it."

Stage one: No waste - not even toilet paper

No Impact Man sensibly approached his project in stages, taking on one impact before tackling another. His first stage was to live without making garbage.  Beginning with an inventory of all the rubbish AND recycling they generated, Beavan and his wife committed to producing not a skerrick of output.

"wash the spoon" - posters-for-good.tumblr.com

This concept of recycling not being as 'green' as we believe is building momentum.  In Junkyard Planet,  author Adam Minter, says recycling has the tendency to absolve our conscience about acquiring the next new thing.  The vast majority of rubbish and recycling are items used for less than 10 minutes.  Beavan talks about the loss of the "waste not, want not" ethos his grandparents held dear.   Items pass through our hands with little gratitude for the precious resources that were consumed in their production.

Recycling is in fact not very different to rubbish - there is no "away".  Many of the health and environmental issues of dealing with the massive global recycling industry are pushed onto the poorer nations - China for example, where Australia sends container ship loads of toxic, dirty waste for "recycling".

The holy grail is an empty recycling bin--and that is what Beavan recognised and lived by for the year.

How can you achieve this?  No Impact Man showed us: do not accept anything in to your life that needs to be recycled or thrown away.

• buy food with absolutely no packaging (by shopping at farmers markets and whole food stores) - even their milk was purchased from a farmer that refilled the same glass milk bottles
• take your own containers and cheesecloth and produce bags to the take out store or food market
• use reusable cloths instead of toilet paper, napkins, baby nappies
• bake your own bread, make your own yoghurt

Any 'waste' you do produce should be organic matter that can be composted at home with a worm farm, Bokashi or compost heap.

Beavan's family ate a pretty simple diet based around shopping direct with the producers, only eating what is in season and only eating food that was grown within a 250 mile radius of New York. This helped with eliminating packaging waste - but Eating Sustainably was the third stage and we will leave that for another blog post.

Read more about the No Impact Man project here and consider participating in the week long experiment.  See more activism quotes on Biome's Pinterest.

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