Earth Hour Australia 2018

Be part of the world’s largest grassroots movement for climate change. Take action on climate change by switching off on Saturday, 24 March, 8.30pm – 9.30pm local time, for the future of Australian wildlife.

WWF’s Earth Hour is a great home-grown Aussie success story. Initially starting in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown into a worldwide phenomenon which is now celebrated in 187 countries and 7000 cities around the world.

This year Earth Hour is drawing attention to the impact climate change has on biodiversity. Australia is home to an amazing array of unique plants and animals. More than 80% of Australia's flowering plants, mammals, reptiles, frogs and almost 50% of our birds occur nowhere else on Earth. However, our beautiful Australian wildlife and iconic places are under threat and we’re losing species at an unprecedented rate. Turtles on our beloved Great Barrier Reef, koalas in the forest, rock wallabies in the bush, and penguins in Antarctica are suffering from the impacts of climate change.

By switching off your lights for one hour on Saturday, you’re taking part in a symbolic action that helps to spark the conversation for change. I believe the collective power of individual actions can create significant change. Use this initiative as an opportunity to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and make stronger global commitments that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges.

Go beyond the hour and take positive action to protect our planet!

Specific impacts in Australia include:

Green turtles and the Great Barrier Reef

Rising sea levels are threatening Raine Island in the Great Barrier Reef, currently home to one of the world’s largest nesting sites for green turtles. A recent study (supported by WWF) showed that higher temperatures in nests are causing turtle eggs to produce females. Around 99% of the green turtle population is now female, signalling a potential population crash. 7

Koalas

With higher average temperatures, global warming is changing the water and nitrogen content of eucalyptus leaves, the koala’s only food, making them less nutritious. As a result, koalas are not getting enough water and nutrients from their natural diet and have to leave the protection of their tree-top homes, making them prone to predators and traffic.

The black-flanked rock wallaby

The black-flanked rock wallaby, which habitat includes the desert and bush in many parts of Northern and Western Australia, is highly endangered. More severe and longer droughts will result in food and habitat loss, leaving these beautiful animals with nowhere to go.

Antarctica

Antarctica is one of the fastest warming areas on the planet. The accelerated melting of Antarctica’s ice sheets has contributed to global average sea levels rising, increasing the risk of coastal flooding in Australia.

The melting ice is putting pressure on Antarctica’s many coastal and marine species, including penguins. A third of the Adélie penguin colonies in Antarctica could disappear in less than 50 years due to the impacts of climate change on food supply of krill and fish.


Related: B Corporations redefining business success; The environmental problem with palm oil; What is a circular economy?
 

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How to have an ethical Easter

Lots of chocolate is consumed at Easter to celebrate the occasion but this can cause more harm to the environment than you might think. Below are five important aspects to consider when purchasing chocolate to help you have an ethical Easter.

Is it palm oil free chocolate?

Around 300 football fields of the world’s most biologically diverse rainforests are felled every hour for palm oil plantations, killing around 6000 orangutans, plus Sumatran tigers and many other species every year.

Australians unknowingly consume on average 10 kilograms of palm oil each year and unclear food labelling makes it hard for people to exercise their consumer choice. Palm oil is a high yield and low cost versatile ingredient used extensively in most manufactured foods, cleaning products, body care, make up and bio fuels. Inadequate government labelling regulations allow brands to hide palm oil behind more than 200 alternate names such as vegetable oil, Glycerine, Plant Surfactant and Caprylic Triglyceride, making it extremely confusing for consumers to identify. Palm oil-based butter which mimics the taste of cocoa butter is used extensively by chocolate manufacturers as a production cost saving measure. When purchasing chocolate this Easter, make sure you purchase 100 percent palm oil free chocolate. 

Is it ethically made and Fairtrade? 

Is the chocolate made and owned by locals? Where was the coco sourced? Was it grown and harvested sustainably? Were the workers treated and remunerated fairly?

These are the questions that you should ask yourself before purchasing chocolate for Easter. According to Choice, approximately 70 percent of chocolate consumed globally is sourced from West Arica where over two million children under the age of 18, some trafficked, work under treacherous conditions to harvest the cocoa. By purchasing ethically made and Fairtrade chocolate, you’re supporting cocoa farmers who provide safe and sustainable employment for their community.

Do you need to consider food allergies?

It’s important to consider if the recipient has any food allergies when purchasing chocolate this Easter as you don’t want to cause any allergic reactions. Are they lactose or gluten intolerant? There is a wide range of dairy free and gluten free Easter chocolate options for people with food allergies.

Does it align with the recipient’s values?

Shopping by a person’s values is important to remember when purchasing Easter chocolate especially if the person lives a vegan, cruelty free or palm oil free lifestyle. There is a large range of vegan chocolate available from local chocolate artisan. 

Is the packaging environmentally friendly?

Most Easter chocolates are wrapped in aluminium foil which is recyclable through council recycling bins but only if you follow the correct guidelines to ensure it is filtered correctly at the recycling facility. Collect all the small used aluminium foil wrappers and scrunch them up into a tight large ball then place it in your recycling bin. This will ensure the ball is sorted correctly and has the highest possible chance at being recycled.





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B Corporations redefining business success

B Corporation® certification recognises purpose-driven businesses that run with the highest level of transparency and accountability, and are committed to improving social and environmental conditions for all. They have one shared vision - to create a global movement using the power of business to drive positive change. They are driven by the value they add to the wider community, not profits, and operate at a higher social and environmental level, considering all business impacts and being responsible for them.

B Corp® shows how businesses can operate sustainably and change the world for the better. The rigorous assessment conducted by B Lab, a non-profit organisation, reviews a company’s governance, transparency, environmental and social impact and certifies businesses on their ability to create value for all stakeholders, not only shareholders. 

“Together, B Corps redefine success in business by competing not to be the best in the world, but to be the best for the world.” - B Corp®

Recently, Biome became the first Australian retailer awarded international B Corporation® certification for its success in operating a business with the highest social and environmental standards. Listed alongside renowned Australian brands including KeepCup and Tom Organics, Biome joins 173 certified Australian businesses, and 2,441 certified B Corporations® from 50 countries.

“Since launching 14 years ago, we have relentlessly built a sustainable and transparent business that supports employees, suppliers, community and the environment. We are proud to have passed the rigorous assessment and join the ranks of world changing brands that work towards creating a global movement using the power of business to drive positive change.” – Biome

Look for the B Corp logo when out-and-about and support businesses that are working to be the best for the world.

If you own a business; find out how you can be a B Corp certified business here and be part of the change for good!

Related: Shave waste free and save the environment; The environmental problem with palm oil; What is a circular economy?

 

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Zero waste body care swaps

Adopt a zero waste body care routine and say good riddance to bathroom rubbish!

A standard bathroom can contain cupboards full of toxic and disposable products from plastic toothbrushes to disposable sanitary products. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approximately two billion disposable razors enter landfill every year. Additionally, it is estimated women use between 10,000 to 12,000 disposable sanitary products in their lifetime. Adopting a zero waste body care routine is an easy way to reduce your waste. It is as simple as swapping the disposable items you normally use for environmentally friendly reusable options.

10 zero waste body care swaps:

1. Disposable razor > reusable safety razor
2. Disposable pads and tampons > menstrual cups and reusable cotton pads
3. Plastic loofah > sea sponge
4. Synthetic body brush > natural sisal body brush
5. Deodorant in a can > deodorant in a glass jar
6. Plastic toothbrush > bamboo toothbrush
7. Body wash in a plastic bottle > a bar of soap
8. Packaged organic skin care products > DIY skincare using natural ingredients
9. Plastic hairbrush/comb > wooden or bamboo hairbrush/comb
10. Packaged Shampoo and conditioner > shampoo bar and apple cider vinegar rinse 

Products can be purchased in our four Brisbane stores and online here.

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