Cooloola Great Walk opens: 5 day trek from Noosa to Rainbow Beach

The new Cooloola Great Walk is set to become one of Australia's iconic long distance walking tracks attracting international and local bush walkers to Queensland.

The 102km Cooloola Great Walk links the Noosa North Shore to Rainbow Beach via the eastern high dunes, the upper Noosa River, Poona Lake and Carlo Sand Blow, with an optional route via Double Island Point.

Showcasing the outstanding natural attractions of the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park, the track winds through rainforest, tall eucalypt forest, dry coastal woodland and heath plains.

You can undertake the full 5 day trek or a shorter walk by joining at several entry points.  The designated overnight camp sites must be booked. A lovely two day walk can be undertaken from Rainbow Beach to Freshwater, where you camp overnight and then walk back.  If you love cool, fresh water when bush walking, you won't be disappointed by the upper Noosa River, Lake Cooloomera, Freshwater Lake and Poona Lake along the way.

From Rainbow Beach, keen walkers can hike another 13km to Inskip Point and catch the barge across to link up with the Fraser Island Great Walk!

We recently explored the Carlo Sand Blow, which is at the Rainbow Beach end of the Great Walk.  Here's just a glimpse of the beautiful wildflowers and plants you can expect to see along the way.

Coastal bush sculpted by the wind.  View looking across Carlo Sand Blow. On the opposite hill you can see a track where people slide down the dune and tiny specks of people!

Interesting links
All the Great Walks of Queensland
Construction of the Cooloola Great Walk
More about Rainbow Beach

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Win $500 'mind, body & sole' shopping day in Brissie

We've joined forces with our friends at the exceptional shoe store Children of the Revolution and mind-expanding The American Bookstore to give one lucky Biome customer a fabulous day out in Brisbane.

To enter ~ simply visit Biome Eco Store at 215 Adelaide Street, City and fill out an entry form. Customers who are already on our e-newsletter list automatically receive an entry ++ plus you can get bonus entries by filling out an entry in store.

The prize ~ an awesome day out to soothe mind, body and sole.

Three people - one from each store's customers - will each win a $500 prize.  Read below how to enter with the other stores too*.  Drawn on 30 June 2010.  The Biome winner will be notified by email and on this blog.  Vouchers are for use in the Brisbane City stores only.

First up, a visit to Children of the Revolution across the road from Biome at 204 Adelaide Street with a $200 gift voucher.  Children of the Revolution specialise in great shoes that are great for you.  They have divine boots to see you through winter and heaps of other spunky things.  Campers, Birkenstock Earth, Think!, El Naturalista.  (PS. there's now a store in Sydney too at 637 Darling St, Rozelle).

After that, a visit to one of Brisbane's most wonderful bookstores. The American Bookstore is a 100% Australian owned and operated family business at 197 Elizabeth Street in Brisbane City.

A great place to go for hard to get titles and special orders - and you can now buy books on line. American Bookstore is giving you $100 to spend on any books in store.

Then stop by Biome Eco Stores in the City with a $200 gift voucher in your pocket.   You know what we offer and this is your chance to buy something special you've had your eye on.

*How to score more bonus entries ~ one customer from each of three stores will win a fabulous day in Brisbane, so to increase your chances even more please visit:

* Children of the Revolution's Facebook and contribute a post on how you look after mind, body & sole

* American Bookstore's website and subscribe to their newsletter

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Kids Konserve raises the safe lunch bar

Like many of our customers, we're always on the search for reusable, waste-free lunch packaging that is free from toxins too.  Our team are "wrapped" with Kids Konserve for both adults and children. 

Ainsley says: "Kids Konserve is a brand I am so excited about. It's an aesthetically pleasing eco friendly product that is fantastic quality and free of all the yucky stuff."

"It's not only a great range for children but something any young at heart adult would find just as useful when packing your own lunch from home."

"A great plus with this range that I don't see in too many other brands is the containers with safe-plastic lids are leak proof so you can take salads with dressing or dips and not be concerned about a big mess."

"The Food Kozy that's perfect for sandwiches is also a fantastic reusable alternative to plastic wrap, foil and snap lock bags."

Tracey says: "the kids have already given Kids Konserve a great work out.  The insulated thermos jar has opened up a whole new set of lunch option - banana smoothies are the top request at the moment."

"I'm pleased with the bottles for the kids too because they are the only leak-proof stainless steel bottle for kids with a pull top spout we know of."

Customers are also loving the new lunch packs which include a beautiful recycled cotton sack, cloth napkin, stainless steel bottle, Food Kozy and two leak proof stainless steel food containers.

FREE ONLINE SHIPPING OFFER

To celebrate the launch of the full Kids Konserve range in Australia, we are offering free shipping when you include any Kids Konserve item valued over $10 in your order.

Offer expires, midnight Friday 25 June 2010.  Excludes shipping of Bokashi and over-size items.

Green Goods by Biome distributes Kids Konserve in Australia.  We welcome wholesale inquiries.   Please see Kids Konserve Wholesale 

Kids Konserve is also stocked by Eco Essentials, Everything Free.  For more stockists see Kids Konserve stockists

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Waste update: Foodbank will be in every Australian State

As reported on Australian Food News

Foodbank has received its license to commence operations in Tasmania, meaning that Foodbank Australia will be providing food assistance in every State of Australia.

The Australian Food News article says:

"More than two million Australians, including one million children, rely on food relief each year.

 

The Foodbank Tasmanian office is set to open at the former Chickenfeed distribution centre at Cambridge, near Hobart, with the aim of providing up to 66,000 Tasmanians with food support donated by supermarket chains, retailers, manufacturers, producers and growers. The site itself is also a donation, with a 10-year lease on the centre given to Foodbank by philanthropist Jan Cameron of Retail Adventures.

Chairman of Foodbank Tasmania Michael Kent said Foodbank Tasmania’s aim was to provide nutritious meals to Tasmanian families when they could not afford to purchase food.

The 2001 census found that Tasmanian families had the lowest average weekly income compared to those of other states, and according to the Department of Health and Human Services, a lack of money is the main cause of hunger in Tasmania, resulting in more than 6000 people going without meals in the past 12 months. In times of hardship, food is often compromised to pay household bills.

The opportunity is now available for food retailers, processors and primary producers in Tasmania to donate food. Foodbank will accept all food that is fit for consumption - surplus to commercial demand, slow moving, short dated or unable to be sold."

Read more about food waste and organisations like Foodbank in our previous post on Freegans and food waste.

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Baby bottles by Dr Weil offer excellent features

The Dr Weil Baby range of glass and safe, BPA free baby bottles and sippy cups is now available at Biome.

Weil Baby includes glass baby bottles, safe plastic BPA free baby bottles, sippy cup and bottle brushes and covers.

What makes these bottles and sippy cups special:

• patented venting system that works effectively to reduce colic
• made from toxin-free, BPA-free ultra-safe Tritan plastic and glass
• bottle starts as a baby bottle, but change the teat and add a handle and it becomes a sippy cup
• leak-proof
• made in the USA
• focus on reducing carbon footprint in manufacturing, recyclable packaging and products

While breastfeeding is the most beneficial for baby and mother, it may not always be possible. The Australian Breastfeeding Association can provide support if you need.  When bottles are needed, choosing BPA free plastic and glass is safest for baby.

Read reviews on Weil Baby:  Essential Baby from Australia; Cool Hunting; Momgadget

Browse the full Weil Baby range at Biome.

Video about Weil Baby and Tritan plastic

Key Baby CEO Steve Schmidt describes how a partnership with Dr Andrew Weil, to produce a safe, clear baby bottle using Eastman's Tritan copolyester came to life.  Talks about what sets Tritan plastic apart from other baby bottle materials: can be boiled to sterilise without breaking down, dishwasher durability is superior, crystal clear and its the only BPA free bottle produced totally in the United States.

Who is Dr Weil?
Dr Weil is a world-renowned leader in the field of integrative medicine. He is founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, author of numerous books, columnist for Prevention and TIME magazines and a frequent guest on Larry King Live and Oprah.

Dr Weil explains "every product and every manufacturer that licenses my name is actively engaged in making the world better for all of us.  Through these ethical business practices I hope to encourage the transition from a consumptive economy to a restorative one. A restorative business is one that provides a valuable product that a sustainable world needs, displacing unsustainable products in the process. I personally make nothing from products to which I license my name. I donate all of my after-tax profits from royalties from sales of Weil Baby products directly to the Weil Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting integrative medicine through training, education and research."

How the AirWave™ Venting System works:

• Threads on both the ring neck and the bottle securely connect the nipple assembly to the bottle.
• Sealing ring on the nipple seats in the bottle neck and positions the nipple in the correct orientation.
• Four protrusions within the bottle neck provide a means for air to enter the bottle
• The flexible inner ring of the nipple rests against the inside surface of the bottle neck. This allows air to flow into the bottle but prevents fluid from leaking out
• NOTE: The patented AirWave venting system is designed to work with a moisture lock. Adding moisture to the inside of the nipple prior to attaching the nipple /ring combination to the bottle will assure a smooth fit and prevent leaking. The AirWave system will work without adding moisture, however extra care should be taken to ensure the inner flange of the nipple does not stick or get caught on the top of the bottle. The ring should not be over-tightened. A snug “medium tight” application will allow for best venting results.

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Travel advice

if you do not change direction,

you will end up

where you are going. - Lao Tzu

Thank you to Kate Knapp of Twigseeds who features this quote on her inspirational cards.

I have been reflecting on this quote today, wondering whether I am interpreting it the correct way.  It seems to me that it is reassuring one that either choice will be fine, so relax -- either you change direction and perhaps end up in a better place, or maintain your course and you'll end up in a good place anyway...

Or is it suggesting that if you feel like you are headed in a negative direction, you will likely end up in a negative place?  I do think it is giving one the courage to accept that only you can chart your direction. 

I think it struck a chord because we spend a lot of time asking ourselves whether we are making the right decisions in terms of what is an "environmentally friendly" product and what we need to do to grow a sustainable, ethical and viable business.  For example, with palm oil, so many discussions and points of view.   The planet certainly needs those who are prepared to change the direction...

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Palm oil labelling Bill needs your support

So far removed and yet so connected.  There may be some encouraging news for the orangutans and endangered species of SE Asia's rainforests if the machinery of our Government continues to grind in the right direction.

In November 2009, Senators Xenophon, Bob Brown and Joyce introduced to the Sentate, the Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling – Palm Oil) Bill 2009. The Bill is under Inquiry and submissions closed recently (read the submissions).

It's not too late to have your say. Right now, you can sign a petition to support the Bill via the Zoos Victoria Don't Palm us off campaign.  80,000 other people already have!

The proposed Bill will require the accurate labelling of palm oil in food. The principal issues being considered are:

1. The rights of consumers to be provided with accurate and truthful information to enable them to make an informed choice;
2. That allowing palm oil to be listed as "vegetable oil" on food packaging is misleading;
3. That palm oil is high in saturated fats and consumers should be made aware for health reasons;
4. That the impact of palm oil production on wildlife, specifically Orangutan's in South East Asia is significant unless it is done sustainably;
5. That sustainable palm oil can be produced with low impact on the environment and with better labour laws on plantations; and
6. That manufacturers should be encouraged to use sustainable palm oil in their production process and can subsequently use the status of "Certified Sustainable Palm Oil" as a business benefit.

Complex dilemna

Palm oil is a complex issue for consumers and business and one that Biome is passionate about.  Following is our latest assessment of the issue and in particular, "sustainable palm oil".  It appears that while highly unlikely that certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) is being used by all that claim to be, the WWF recommends that manufacturers and consumers support CSPO.

If you are not aware of the environmental threats due to palm oil, please see our Facts section below.  Biome has a commitment to not stock any products containing palm oil or its derivatives.  We do still offer some products with palm oil but we are working to remove these or to get our suppliers to substitute.  We clearly label the products where we have found palm oil. 

We are often told by suppliers that they use "sustainable palm oil".  However, we know that this would be unlikely and it is very difficult to be certain.   There is also the complex issue of whether palm oil is a better choice than a petrochemical oil... Realistically, the key problem is the major food producers and fast food chains - not a home-based soap maker making a natural plant oil alternative to petrochemical soap.

I was thrilled to discover this report today on the Don't Palm us off website, which covers brilliantly sustainable palm oil certification WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard Australia.

This report explains WWF's work with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and their certification program.  There is no hope for the orangutans without a credible organisation like the WWF working with the industry to solve the problem.   The question is, do you refuse all palm oil or support RSPO certified producers?  The WWF says:

"By supporting the RSPO and using only CSPO, companies can help slow down deforestation and the disappearance of some of Earth’s most amazing and threatened wildlife, including tigers, elephants and orang-utans. Choosing sustainable palm oil also helps companies to reduce climate change impacts, since slashing forests for oil palms can contribute to the release of greenhouse gas emissions."

According to the report, there is in fact enough CSPO to meet Australian demand, but it is not being purchased by manufacturers.  By January 2010, RSPO certified plantations were able to supply 1.76 million tonnes of sustainable palm oil per year—more than 13 times the amount imported into Australia each year.

Despite being available in sufficient quantities, only a small portion of the available CSPO has actually been bought. In the 12 months leading up to January 2010 only 40% of the CSPO available was purchased.  Apparently this is because of the premium price for the certified oil.

How do you know if the palm oil is CSPO?

As the WWF explains, at the moment you can not know.  Manufacturers that use palm oil need only list ‘vegetable oil’ in the ingredient list.   To find out whether a product contains palm oil consumers would need to contact the company who made the product and ask them whether they are using palm oil and if so, is it CSPO?   You should then ask for a copy of the certification.  If the palm oil is from a a bulk product, there is no chain of custody to prove its origins.

The hopes are for mandatory palm oil labelling to become a reality in Australia should the proposed Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling Palm Oil) Bill 2009 be passed. A provision within the bill mandates that retailers and manufacturers label their product as containing ‘CS Palm Oil’ in the ingredient list if the product contains sustainable palm oil produced in accordance with the RSPO’s standards.

What can you do?

• Sign the petition to support the Bill at Don't Palm us off.
• Write to or call your local MP and tell them to support the Bill.
• Avoid products that do not list full ingredients or list "vegetable oil". 
• Avoid products from manufacturers and fast food outlets that use palm oil - see the WWF Scorecard report, thePalm Oil Action Group Australia website and BOS Australia.
• If the product contains palm oil ask for proof that it is CPSO - or avoid the product as this is the only safe way of knowing. 
• Join the Australian Orangutan Project, adopting an orangutan or buying their cute t-shirts.

Palm Oil Free Products

Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) has an excellent list of Palm Oil Free alternatives for food and body products. Some of the brands listed that are available at Biome:
Clean Conscience - green cleaning
Pure and Green - organic skin and hair care
Beauty & the Bees - soap, beer shampoo bar, baby care
Riddels Creek Toothpaste

We welcome any other ideas on making an ethical choice about palm oil.

Palm Oil Facts

From the Don't Palm us Off website

• Over 85% of the world's palm oil comes from Malaysia and Indonesia. 
• The most common cause of deforestation and fragmentation in Indonesia is related to palm oil.
• An estimated 40% of food on our supermarket shelves contains palm oil.  
• In SE Asia alone, the equivalent of 300 football fields are deforested every hour for palm oil production.
• Palm oil typically costs the lives of up to 50 Orangutans each week.
• Australians unknowingly consume on average 10 kilograms of palm oil each year because we do not currently have the ability to exercise consumer choice. 
• Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations are a possibility however you need you to tell FSANZ you want palm oil labeling if they are to become a reality.
• Once palm oil is labelled, consumers can actually drive a market for proper certified sustainable palm oil because they can demand it of manufacturers.

From the BOS Australia website

"The single greatest threat facing orangutans today is the rapidly expanding palm oil trade. Rainforests are being cleared at the rate of 300 football fields per hour to make way for oil palm plantations.
While there are millions of hectares of degraded land that could be used for plantations, many oil palm companies choose to instead use rainforest land to gain additional profits by logging the timber first. Palm oil companies also frequently use uncontrolled burning to clear the land, resulting in thousands of orangutans being burned to death. Those that survive have nowhere to live and nothing left to eat."

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Bottled water two to four times cost of fresh milk

One of my favourite newspaper columns is Value Hunter with Jane Hansen in The Sunday Mail.   Jane always gives well-researched, practical advice on how to save money.  The column features a Taste Test and value analysis of a particular product.  This week it is WATER - the bottled variety!

I love her tongue in check assessment when comparing the Taste Test quality - they all "taste just like water".  Jane does raise serious considerations like the fact Coca-Cola owned brand Mount Franklin water bottle costs more than triple Coca-Cola's carbonated drink and almost four times as much as a litre of fresh milk.

And, while tap water averages $1.70 per kilolitre (less than .0017 cents per litre), bottled water costs:

~ Organic Springs 600ml water bottle $2.75 per litre

~ Mount Franklin 600ml water bottle $4.15 per litre (owned by Coca-Cola)

~ Arooma 600ml water bottle $1.48 per litre

~ Pump 750ml water bottle $3.08 per litre (owned by Coca-Cola)

Aside from the costs of bottled water on the hip pocket, we know there are growing concerns about the environmental costs of bottled water. 

Director of a new documentary Tapped: get off the bottle, Stephanie Soechtig, says “1500 water bottles end up in landfill every second – that’s 30 million water bottle a day!”   The Tapped team is currently promoting the movie with an across America roadshow, collecting pledges from people to reduce their water bottle use and exchanging their empty plastic bottle for a reusable stainless steel bottle.   The roadshow is sponsored by Klean Kanteen.

Read our article Water bottle under siege - movies, books, governments and see the new animated film The Story of Bottled Water by The Story of Stuff creator, Annie Leonard.

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Guinea Pigs & the accounts keep us busy

Photo: Cookies n Cream enjoying a tickle under the chin

The end of each quarter in the year is a busy time for small business owners as we have to submit our BAS reports to the tax office, reconcile the accounts, pay outstanding bills (because everyone else is reconciling as well), pay staff superannuation, and so on...  If you are a small business owner, I'm sure you know what we mean!

It has also been a particularly busy family time with Easter, children's birthdays...and learning to care for two super-cute new family members, Guinea Pigs Marshmallow and Cookies n Cream.

Welcoming the first pets into our family is a big occasion and who could imagine that two tiny creatures would consume so much fussing around time.   Thank you to the RSPCA from where we adopted these loving seven month old sisters. 

If you have read my earlier post about food waste, we now have somewhere to send our fruit and vegetable scraps - with the added bonus that they are 'upcycled' into warm fuzzy cuddles!  I'm feeling inspired also to finally build a small vegie patch to grow some food for the Guinea Pigs... and maybe even the humans in the house too.

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Between the wish and the thing life lies waiting.  Unknown.

Live your dreams.

From our Positively Green inspirational cards

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Legends of conservation that preserved Noosa for us all

Have you ever sat on the beautiful beach at Noosa or walked through the National Park and thought "thank goodness there is no high rise in Noosa"?

In 1969, Noosa Council had approved a high rise development on the beach side of Hastings Street and in the late 70's was proposing a 12 storey limit on the other side of Hastings Street.  Today, there is a humble three storey limit.  How this happened is the story of two legendary couples, Arthur and Marjorie Harrold and Bill and Mavis Huxley, and the volunteer organisation they founded, Noosa Parks Association (NPA).

Queensland's Noosa and Cooloola National Park region works its magic on all who are fortunate to visit, just as we were at Easter.  Noosa is one of our most valuable tourism destinations in economic terms, but only because concrete development has harmonised with the natural beauty of rainforest scrambling down coastal headland to pristine beaches.

I was awe-inspired to learn that we also have these people to thank for there being no coastal road around Noosa Heads and the existence of Cooloola National Park stretching from Noosa River to Double Island point.  In the 60s and 70s, this area was destined to be ripped apart for sand mining and when the miners moved on, suburban development would have moved in.

The NPA and the people that have volunteered their time and hearts since 1962 are true legends of conservation.  Today, the NPA is regarded around the world as a shining light for successful community environmental organisation.  Unlike well known single issue battles such as the Franklin and Gordon River, the NPA has relentlessly fought and won successive battles over 40 years.

In addition to lobbying, the organisation has a vibrant program of activities including bush walking, bird watching, Greening Noosa and weekly talks at their Environment Centre in Wallace Drive, Noosaville. 

Thousands of visitors to the Noosa National Park (from where you walk around to Alexandria Bay) will also benefit from the recently opened NPA Info Hut and guided walks each Wednesday morning.  Bookings 07 54473522

Dr Michael Gloster, who was President of the NPA for many years, has written a fascinating 10 part series about the NPA and the battles.  These are incredible stories that will enrich your experience of Noosa and remind us all that individuals do have the power to change the world!

More reading:
Timeline of the Noosa District  For history buffs, a thoroughly enjoyable chronology from the traditional Aboriginal inhabitants to modern times. Sunshine Coast Library online resources.

Dr Arthur Harrold was named a Legend of Conservation by the Queensland Conservation Council in 2009.  Sunshine Coast Daily article.

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..make it as harmonious and kind as you possibly can...

I am reading a very enjoyable book called Adventures in Caravanastan by Greg Bearup (published by Random House Australia, 2009).  It is the story of his one year trip around Australia in a caravan with his partner and toddler.  He writes fascinating stories about local people in the places they visit.  Reading the chapter on Bruny Island off southern Tasmania, was kind of excruciating - only because it reminded me of how far removed my crazy city life is from the idyllic and simple life on Bruny Island.

The author tells the story of a retired brain surgeon who now lives on the island, and who has a passion for translating poetry from ancient Greek, Latin and Chinese texts and a deep belief in Confucianism.  I am always intrigued by how ancient Eastern philosophical teachings remain so relevant to our modern world - many might say our dysfunctional modern world.

As we share peace and love around the world at Easter, his words as recounted by Greg Bearup in the book hold great meaning:

"Confucianism is about the individual person trying to be the best they can...Don't worry about the big issues.  It's about what you do in your own life and your immediate associations."

"[Confucianism] means behaving properly towards family members and immediate associates."

"I live in a way that makes no imposition on other people and on things.  I use next to nothing.  It try to restore the land here and live a very simple life.  If I have contact with anybody I try to make it as harmonious and kind as I possibly can. That's it."

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Eco Easter holiday & sticky chocolate news

Going on an Eco Easter adventure?  Don't forget to...

Switch off the hot water system before going away - you could be wasting energy and money keeping water hot when you're not there.

Service your car before a long trip and check your tyre pressure. A tuned up car improves fuel efficiency by up to 30% and will save you petrol money. 

Take your reusable shopping bags on the grocery supplies trip.

Recycle bottles, cans, cardboard and plastic packaging.  Please call your local Council to check which types of plastic packaging they will accept - many will accept the firm plastic that easter eggs are packaged in.

Encourage kids at home to switch off their game consoles, DVD player, TV and stereo at the wall when not in use.

Purchase Easter gifts with the least amount of packaging and choose certified Free Trade and organic chocolate and easter eggs.

References http://www.climatesmart.qld.gov.au/

What to take?

Eco friendly picnic, catering and entertaining supplies, reusable water bottle,  stainless steel cup set, BPA-free lunch boxes for storing food.

Petrochemical free natural sunscreen, environment-safe shampoo and soap (especially camping in National Parks).

Natural mosquito repellant and New Mountain sandalwood mosquito diffuser, flies off food nets.

Sticky chocolate issues

Will Nestle ever reclaim its Facebook page from palm oil protestors  Is this the most successful social-media influence campaign ever...?

Treehugger reports on the wasteful excess of Easter Egg packaging and improvements to eliminate plastic boxes.  Easter Candy Insanity...

Australian Fair Trade Easter 2010 Campaign website.  Learn more about the issues and the choices you can make.

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Compost and animal friends love watermelon skin

We had some great suggestions from Biome Facebook fans on what to do with our watermelon rind waste.

Horses and dogs love to eat watermelon skin, along with chickens - who not only love to eat it, but they turn it into eggs as well!


And, composting of course.  Environmentalist David Suzuki says you will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by composting your household waste rather than sending it to landfill.  He says that in Canada “landfills produce the greenhouse equivalent of five million cars”. 


When food, garden waste, nappies, paper and cardboard are disposed of in landfill they decompose anaerobically (without air) and produce methane—which is 21 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon-dioxide. However, the composting process at home does not contribute to methane generation because it takes place close to the surface and oxygen.


The Bokashi composting system is popular for its convenience and because it produces a rich soil fertiliser that does wonders for your plants.  Bokashi microbes "ferment" the scraps without smells, so you can keep the bucket under your sink or in your home.

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Waste diary & BBQ watermelon rind challenge

In the spirit of our waste diary challenge posted last week I undertook a "fridge cleansing", which purged a lot more waste than we normally would generate.  It was time to confront all those disposal dilemnas that I hide away at the back of the fridge.

The fridge clear-out put my compulsion for hoarding relishes and condiments under a harsh spotlight.  So many that I could not recall how long they had been there and that I could no longer face eating.  Getting rid of the contents and rinsing the jars can use a lot of precious water, but we are told by the Council that containers and jars must be clean-ish before putting them into recycling.

Our waste from meal preparation was minimal, just avocado skins, seeds, carrot peelings and the like.  I snuck the end slices of the tomatoes onto sandwiches - breaking my silly habit of throwing out the ends.  Instead of wasting the crusts on the end of bread, I put them in the freezer to use for breadcrumbs later. That tactic does however have a limited life span, as there are few uses for breadcrumbs in my cooking repertoire!

This photo from The Guardian by Tristram Stuart shows three identical Romaine lettuces purchased at the same time and stored for ten days, from left to right 1) at room temperature 2) in the fridge and 3) in a glass of water like cut flowers.  Inspired, I kept herbs in water (refreshed daily) and they stayed fresh much longer. 

Our biggest volume of waste was watermelon rind!  Apparently the white flesh and green skin is used as a vegetable in many Asian countries and contains great vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.

I love that you can so easily find recipes on the internet for weird and wonderful ingredients, like:
Watermelon Skin Halwa
Barbequed Watermelon Rind with Sauces
Watermelon Pie from southern USA

Someone has even dedicated a whole site to fill your belly, not landfill with watermelon

The challenge now is to give them a go.  BBQ watermelon rind first...

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Livia Firth promotes sustainable fashion at Oscars

Photo from Vogue.com

Livia Giuggioli, Italian film producer and wife of Colin Firth, writes a blog for Vouge.com "The Green Carpet Challenge".  If you have an interest in sustainable fashion, Livia shares great information about how she dressed for the film awards season and some of the ethical and environmental issues related to fashion.  To the Oscars she wore ethical Australian pink Argyle Diamonds by Calleija Jewellers.

One issue she highlights is the deceptive labelling and marketing of bamboo fabric.  She points to this article by the US Federal Trade Commission  Have you been bamboozled by bamboo fabric? .  This is taken from the article:
Looking to be a more environmentally conscious shopper? You’ve probably heard about bamboo. Bamboo stands out for its ability to grow quickly with little or no need for pesticides, and it is used in a variety of products, from flooring to furniture. But when it comes to soft bamboo textiles, like shirts or sheets, there’s a catch: they’re actually rayon.

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know that the soft “bamboo” fabrics on the market today are rayon. They are made using toxic chemicals in a process that releases pollutants into the air. Extracting bamboo fibers is expensive and time-consuming, and textiles made just from bamboo fiber don’t feel silky smooth.
There’s also no evidence that rayon made from bamboo retains the antimicrobial properties of the bamboo plant, as some sellers and manufacturers claim. Even when bamboo is the “plant source” used to create rayon, no traits of the original plant are left in the finished product.
Companies that claim a product is “bamboo” should have reliable evidence, like scientific tests and analyses, to show that it’s made of actual bamboo fiber.

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Lunch boxes wrap up on what's eco and safe

Would you agree that the most eco-friendly solution usually turns out to be the best choice for your health and your budget also?  We find that making the safest choice for the planet is the safer path for people too, particularly when it comes to natural skin care, green cleaning and petrochemical plastic products.

With a simple decision on lunch boxes and how to pack a lunch, you can: help the planet by opting for long lasting and resource-efficient materials, reduce waste going to landfill, protect your health by avoiding toxic plastics, and save a little cash by reusing and buying in bulk.

Many Australian schools are trying to reduce rubbish by encouraging children to take home food scraps, use composting at school and use less plastic wraps.  Our family is fortunate to live very close to our school, but not so fortunate to be woken at dawn each morning by the clean up crew--the crows!  So there may even be an extra benefit for us from a waste-free lunch policy...a sleep in.

One of the nasties to avoid when choosing a lunch box, is Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) - recognised by this symbol.  Often on a soft shiny plastic lunch box (often the grey plastic inside) there is no label to tell you what it is, but it is more than likely PVC that can contain lead and phthalates.

According to the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ): "PVC is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives used to soften it.  These harmful chemicals include phthalates, lead, cadmium and organotins, which can be toxic to a child's health.  Over 90% of all phthalates are used in PVC products such as school supplies.  Federal (US) law has banned the use of phthalates in children's toys, but not children's school supplies.  Lunch boxes, binders, vinyl backpacks and art supplies are frequently made out of PVC."

"Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of toxic chemicals used in PVC.  Recent studies have linked PVC flooring to increased rates of autism and asthma.  Chemicals that evaporate or leech out of PVC products may contribute to developmental disorders and damage to the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems." 

Further, many environmental groups are calling for the banning of PVC because it releases dioxins during manufacturing and when it is burned, recycled or or disposed of in landfill.  Both Wikipedia and CHEJ detail the dangers, including how highly toxic dioxins have been found to cause cancer in workers manufacturing PVC. 

How to identify products with PVC

• Labelled with the word “vinyl” (e.g. vinyl ring binders)
• #3 recycling symbol or with the letters “V” or “PVC” underneath the recycling symbol
• Shiny flexible plastic inside and outside lunch boxes, back packs, clothing (such as raincoats) and waterproof mattress protectors. 
• Don't buy the product if it is not labelled with the type of plastic or with specific statements that it is lead free and PVC free.
• Contact the manufacturer or retailer to ask what plastic the product is made of.

Choose lunch boxes and school products made from metal such as stainless steel, fabric, sustainable wood, recycled paper and safe plastics that are PVC free, BPA free and lead free.  Polypropylene is also a safe choice.

Biome has just introduced the exciting Kids Konserve waste-free lunch range (pictured above): Food Kozy sandwich wrap, insulated lunch bag made from recycled PET bottles, stainless steel food container, ice pack and more. 
Biome also offers:
Goodbyn all-in-one lunchboxes with cool stickers
LunchBots stainless steel lunch boxes
4myearth sandwich wraps
Thermos
Klean Kanteen insulated wide mouth bottles
Bento boxes

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Freegans waste not - will you keep a waste diary?

Thank you to the simple living blog Little Eco Footprints for the inspiration for this post.  I love reading about your actions, especially your latest post Saved from the bin where you mentioned the Australian food rescue organisations that save food before it makes it into the bin - Oz Harvest, Foodbank, FareShare, SecondBite. Amazing that blog author, Tricia, then saw an Oz Harvest van pulling up at the Aldi Supermarket across the road from her - that was karma!

It's a topic that can make you feel so powerless on the world scale, but what really matters is each of our individual households.   Apparently, we throw out about one quarter of the food we buy.  That can't be hard to change.

The Guardian in the UK has an insightful feature on 'Freegans' and food waste. This article profiles Freegan campaigner Tristram Stuart and this is an eye-opening photo gallery of foods that are thrown away by stores or left to rot. The below photo shows the result of Marks & Spencer's requirement for its sandwich supplier to discard four slices from each loaf: the crusts and the first slice at either end.  This means 13,000 slices of fresh bread are discarded every day from a single factory...

How much do you throw away in one week?

 
The Guardian asked three people to record what they threw away in one week. I am going to try to keep a diary this week and report back.  That is scary, but it is incentive to be careful about what we buy.   Would anyone else like to keep a record and share it with us in a week or so?

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Top 10 vegan & vegetarian recipe websites we love

Eating less meat and more plants is not only for compassionate and environmental reasons, it is also healthy and great for those trying to trim down a little.  (I have a confession that I am loving The Biggest Loser's Friday Masterclass and they encourage proteins from plant sources!).   I'm loving cooking with my Gastrolux non stick cookware too - no toxic emissions and no oil required!

Here's my top 10 online resources for scrumptious vegetarian and vegan dishes, with favourite recipes picked out for you.

http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/e-books/
Four e-books by vegan author Hannah Kaminsky to download for just US$5 each with amazing recipes for ice cream and sweet treats made with no eggs or dairy.    RECIPE PICK *  Buttered popcorn ice cream!  

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/
HUGE list of recipes from Bryanna Grogan, author of 8 vegan bookbooks and The Vegan Feast quarterly newsletter.   RECIPE PICK * Marinated tofu that's kinda like fetta
 

http://veganyumyum.com/ Lovely photos to accompany yumyum recipes and helpful "how to" section with how to Supreme an orange, how to slice a mango, etc.
RECIPE PICK * Avocado Wasabi Salad (pictured)  

Martha Goes Green vegetarian cookbook  Independently published in Melbourne, Australia, printed on recycled paper with vegetable inks, with over 50 vegetarian and health conscious recipes.   Available to buy from Biome with all our vegetarian recipe books.  RECIPE PICK * Chocolate Tofu Mousse

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47633560@N00/
Japan and the US have been crazy for Bento boxes long before the "waste-free" lunch box trend hit Australia.  SV Mama is a member of the Flikr Vegan Bento group that has lots of photos of Bento lunches.  Not actual recipes, but lots of ideas to fill up little boxes, like pictured here: Garlic Bread, Ravioli with Marinara Sauce, Pineapple Guavas and Sauteed Brussel Sprouts. Not sure I could get brussel sprouts past the kids!  
 
http://www.kurma.net Cooking with Australian Vegetarian Guru, Kurma Dasa.  Vegetarian and vegan recipes, invite Kurma to cook for you and follow his culinary adventures on his blog.  RECIPE PICK * Barbequed Haloumi with Chargrilled Asparagus and Salsa Verde

http://bokchoybohemia.com/ Everything Vegetarian and Kosher, gloriously humane comfort foods.  
RECIPE PICK * Vegan Thom Kha Tofu soup.   For those of us who usually miss out on this amazing Thai soup.

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/  Won the US Veg News Veggie Awards – Readers Favourite Bog in 2007 and 2009.  Lovely photos and recipes for wholefoods without a lot of processed fat and sugar.  RECIPE PICK * Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches

http://www.backyardbowls.com/acai_bowls.html
Not the exact recipes, but ideas you can try - you just need to track down some Acai pulp!  If you’re everin Santa Barbara, look up Backyard Bowls.  To make Acai bowls they blend the frozen pulp of the Acai berry with fruits and coconut milk into a thick smoothie. Put that blend in a bowl, top it with granola, fresh fruits, Goji berries and honey.
 
http://seitanismymotor.com/
German influenced, so some great gluten-free breads and vegan sausages.  The longest link list of other Vegan food blogs I’ve ever seen.  Learn to make Seitan, which is made from wheat gluten and when cooked looks a lot like meat. RECIPE PICK * Olive and Seitan Sausages

When you go shopping for supplies, don't forget your reusable shopping bag! 

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Meat Free Mondays gives different angle on vegetarian study

Thank you so much to one of our readers, Meg, for this referral to the Meat Free Monday website and the actual WWF report How Low Can We Go?

It is fascinating how there were several news angles that could have been taken from the WWF report, but the media picked up on the bad news/more sensationalist headline that "a vegetarian diet can harm the environment".  Actually, the report was looking at the greenhouse gas emissions involved in the UK food system, and the scope for reducing them by 70 per cent by 2050.  

The Meat Free Monday article gives a much more balanced assessment of the WWF report.  The report said that livestock rearing alone accounts for 57 per cent of harmful emissions from UK agriculture.  It indicates that a vegetarian diet (with dairy and eggs), a 66 per cent reduction in livestock production consumption, and technologies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from soils and methane from ruminants, had the potential to reduce direct supply chain emissions by 15-20 per cent.

According to the Meat Free Monday article: the report pointed out that any change in meat consumption patterns would have to be managed carefully. Less animals would mean less animal feed, for example, freeing up arable land, but how we compensate for a diet lower in meat, eggs and dairy could also have an adverse effect in terms of emissions. A switch from beef and milk to tofu and quorn could mean we need more arable land, not less. Emissions could be reduced nine per cent with a switch from red to white meat, the report also said, but would see an increase in the import of soy meal for poultry feed.

The report warned that "careful assessment" would be needed to avoid "unintended consequences", however. If the livestock industry contracted and collapsed entirely then the UK would be dependent on low-cost exports from other countries - it might make us healthier, but the environmental problems associated with meat production would simply be shifted elsewhere.

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Vegetarian no longer eco. Who moved my cheese...?

Photo of Chocolate Tofu Mousse from Martha Goes Green Vegetarian Cookbook

In the world of eco-friendly, one thing is for certain... change!  Just when you think you have the goal posts lined up for what is the most eco-friendly choice, someone moves them.  This is not a criticism, we love the intellectual and ethical deliberations, but I'm not good at change.  When it comes to change, I turn like an ocean-liner...slowly.

It happened with palm oil and soy.  At first, it was virtuous to be replacing petrochemical oil with with a plant oil, for example producing a palm wax candle instead of a paraffin candle -- but then the environmental movement made us aware of the rainforest destruction being caused by palm and soy plantations.

Bamboo is the perfect eco-friendly material, a fast growing and self-renewing plant requiring no pesticides or fertilisers that can be used for food, clothing, paper and building -- but now we've learned that we need to look for "panda-friendly" bamboo.  This is bamboo that does not deprive pandas of a food source, like Moso bamboo, which has no leaf growth on the first five metres of the stem.

Recently, the WWF has released a report that shows a vegetarian diet is not necessarily better for the planet than meat.  The UK study found that many meat substitutes were produced from soy, chickpeas and lentils that were grown overseas and imported into Britain.  It found that switching from beef and lamb reared in Britain to meat substitutes would result in more foreign land being cultivated and raise the risk of forests being destroyed to create farmland. Meat substitutes also tended to be highly processed and involved energy-intensive production methods (quoted from the article at Times Online "Tofu can harm the environment..")

When I read this story, the first thought that came to mind was "who moved my cheese" again? One of our Biome team introduced me to this great change management concept.  Your "cheese" may be your career, a relationship, your neighbourhood peace and quiet, your environmental values.  For those of us who struggle with change, it may be worth a look.  Who Moved My Cheese? is about helping you to enjoy less stress and more success by learning to deal with the inevitable change.

The WWF study is not course-changing for us vegetarians, but it is a nudge to the bow.  It encourages everyone to think about where our food comes from and to eat more foods that are less packaged and less processed - the same principles for whatever diet you follow.

More reading and vegetarian recipe books at Biome.

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Is every stainless steel bottle created equal? The story of two bowls.

There are two stainless steel mixing bowls in my kitchen cupboard.  One feels more solid and has aged gracefully with use, the scratches seem to absorb into the worn smooth metal surface, which remains a dignified matt grayish colour.  The second, bought at a discount store (albeit under the brand name of a TV personality), has taken a distinct yellow tinge and is showing tarnish, its surface still artificially glossy.

We often talk to customers about choosing high quality stainless steel, but here I can actually see the difference.  Clearly, the quality affects how it wears and potentially the toxins that it may impart to food or liquids stored inside a water bottle.


There are important features to look for when choosing a reusable stainless steel bottle. Stainless steel is always made using chromium, because it is what makes steel "stainless".  Other elements used include nickel, nitrogen and molybdenum.   These elements can leach into liquids, so it is important that the bottle is made from high quality, 18/8 food-grade stainless steel – but, it is also important that you trust the manufacturer is telling the truth when they say what the bottle is made from.

Some will aim to make the bottle from the thinnest and cheapest stainless steel they can in order to reduce manufacturing costs and hence increase profits.

Other features are also important:
Are the lids made from a BPA-free plastic and are the leak proof?
Can you see sharp corners or joins where dirt and bacteria can build up?
Can you buy a replacement lid without buying a whole new bottle?
Does the manufacturer provide a guarantee?

Consider who the manufacturer is.  Do they have a long history of quality, who are the real people behind the company and what is their story?  In 2004, Klean Kanteen was the first company to make a water bottle from stainless steel.  They have continued to lead the way constantly innovating with the range they offer.  Nathan is a top sports hydration company making high quality stainless steel bottles with a clever straw drinking mechanism.  Perhaps the grandparent of all stainless steel is Thermos, whose name has become synonymous with insulated bottles for hot water.  Many of us grew up taking “the thermos” on a picnic.

From an environmental point of view, is a stainless steel bottle more eco friendly than a plastic bottle?

A Life Cycle assessment study published in the New York Times in 2009, considered the environmental and health impact of stainless steel water bottle from the extraction and processing of its ingredients, to its manufacture, distribution, use and final disposal.  It found that if your stainless steel water bottle takes the place of 50 plastic bottles, the climate is better off.    So when you buy a bottle, make sure it is one that will last hundreds of uses.  ‘Buy quality less often’ we always suggest at Biome.

From a human point of view, who made the bottle and was that person treated fairly and compensated for their time?  This is the hardest criteria to judge because few of us can actually visit the factories in China where most of the bottles are made.  We can at least always go to the manufacturer’s website and ensure they have published a statement about their factory and worker conditions.  If the bottle has a unique shape, such as Klean Kanteen or Nathan, it is more likely to be made at factory that the company directly oversees.

I treasure my well-aged stainless steel bowl.  We use it every day for washing fruit and vegetables, mixing recipes, whipping cream, bathing injuries.  So much so, that I thought a second bowl would be a handy addition.  Sadly, I did not repeat the luck with the quality of our first bowl and the newer, yellow tinged compatriot sits idle in the cupboard.

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Moving on unwelcome house guests (pests)...with compassion!

Having spent many years living in the "well-ventilated" old wooden Queenslander houses of Brisbane's inner suburbs, I am on pleasant terms with the crawling, flying, vermin community that shares our love of the leafy area.

From Uni student days when the Brisbane City Council's rat catcher arrived with his frenzied Terrier and condemned a metropolis of rats in the backyard shed, to huge flying cockroaches that so impolitely drop onto your lap with no care for the interruption.

I have always avoided chemical sprays due to allergies and as a long-time vegetarian I have not the heart to kill a creature.  At Biome, we believe in respect and compassion for all who share our planet, so dilemnas over pest control that are both non-toxic and humane are not new to us.

We once offered a product that attracted cockroaches to a sticky-glue mat that they never left!  We soon received a polite customer email pointing out that even though they are lowly cockroaches, they do not deserve to die such an inhumane death.  That was the end of those products, and rightly so.  Someone else explained that they not only catch cockroaches, but also unlucky geckos that stumble across them...eep. We do love to get our customer's feedback to help with the deliberations.

You can understand our excitement with this new product, Pest Free, a plug in device that controls rats and cockroaches by altering the electromagnetic field already contained within a building's structure. It is an Australian-made product with 15 years of history and University testing to validate its effectiveness.  Scientific testing shows that the influence of the electromagnetic force causes loss of appetite in vermin and increases thirst, thereby disrupting their normal behaviour and reproduction.  It is not an ultrasonic product and will not effect cats, dogs, birds, computers or the electricity flow in a building. 

Having recently dealt with a voracious house guest in a not-so humane way, we hold hopes for this device. We had tolerated the noisy scurrying of a sizeable rat as it went about its noctural activities in the roof, good naturedly replaced the plastic light fittings that it consumed and learned to lock away our food because if its penchant for midnight feasts. One pitch black night, however, the rat and I met our Waterloo.  As I blearily tended to a crying child, the rat - I guess as startled as I - leapt from the kitchen bench into my face.

I searched with no success for a humane catch and release product for a huge rat.  I visited the hardware store to peruse the extermination options, but as my mind played out the gruesome scene my knees buckled.  With no solution, and with heavy heart, I handed the task to my husband and asked to be kept in the dark about whatever tactics were taken.  The rat did move on...

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Replacing throw-away takeaway cups with reusable coffee cups

Are throw-away coffee cups heading for a tipping point like plastic grocery bags and bottled water?

Look in a public rubbish bin on the street and it will most likely be full of coffee cups, plastic bottles and take-away food containers.  Some of this could be recycled if there was such a facility in public places, but landfill is the only option for the plastic-coated paper coffee cups.

We have noticed in the last year a growing realisation that disposable coffee cups can not be recycled.   I was putting coffee cups in our household recycling bin until early 2009 because I did not realise.  The takeaway coffee businesses do need to better inform their customers that the cups can not be put into recycling.

Any local Council serious about reducing the amount of waste going to landfill must also address takeaway coffee cups.  As with disposable plastic water bottles and plastic bags, there seems to be only four choices:

• a ban,
• a tax or levy on the price of the item,
• a container deposit type system (so that the seller has the responsibility for recycling), or
• public education by coffee businesses and government to encourage people to bring their own reusable cup.

Most people would likely prefer the last option.  We're doing our little part at Biome by talking to our customers and finding practical, affordable alternatives.

Keep Cup reusable coffee cup a great Australian invention made from high quality, BPA-free plastics in Australia, with an estimated lifespan of 4 years.  We had great experiences using our Keep Cups over the Summer holidays.  Five of our group had a KeepCup under the tree and the coffee shops we visited were very happy for us to provide our own cups.  We were enjoying the best of our beautiful environment at the beach and it felt so good to be reducing our waste each day.  Some places even offer a discounted price if you bring your own reusable coffee cup.    Great for Mothers Day gifts.

Klean Kanteen insulated bottle with cafe cap - a great innovation from the Klean Kanteen people.  Not only a reusable option, but the double-walled stainless steel insulated cup will keep the contents hot or cold for six hours.  You could use them for coffee, tea, soup or yoghurt.  The bottle comes with a loop cap, but you can purchase a cafe cap to transform your bottle into a sipping mug.

 

Whenever you head out, just remember to grab your reusable coffee mug and your reusable shopping bags.  

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