On a Big jet plane

I am a fan of Angus and Julia Stone. #Justsayin.

But I guess as a sustainability campaigner (which is what I note as my occupation on custom forms!), I really ought not to be a fan of big jet planes. But travel is important.

For Norwegian environmentalist, Erik Dammann, travel allowed him to “challenge Western values and lifestyles in order to promote a more responsible attitude to the environment and the third world.”

Dammann returned to Norway with the realisation that the West’s focus on competition for personal gain had more to do with social structure than human nature. He also came back with a deep respect for other cultures and with a sense of responsibility for the way they were being destroyed by the consumption-oriented Western lifestyle and world view. He perceived an immense gap between the stated values of Western society, such as justice, freedom, responsibility and solidarity, and the actual impact of that society on people in other countries and on the Earth.

So for the following month I will be blogging from http://www.travelgreenchic.tumblr.com/, documenting the amazing stuff happening in the UK, Denmark and Germany. I am out to prove being green is simply not all mung beans and no style. Far from it. It's everything we know but just simply tweaked for the better.

*this blog post comes to you from the skys... Emirates A380 OnAir internet... crazy this technology stuff!

In all colors and in all sizes

The festive season tis upon us with jolly times catching up with me this weekend. But I got through it. Maybe it's the excitment I'll be jetting off soon that is helping me push through it. And before you start questioning the "jetting off" aka isn't flying really bad for the environment, I refer you to this post (the start of my travel blog which explains why travel is important).

As I start preparing for my trip, working out what to pack, I realize it's also the perfect opprtunity to do a big clean especially since when I return it'll be 2012, a start of a new year. The big clean involves going through items I no longer wear or use and d0nating them to charity. What always seems to stump me is what to do with bras I no longer wear. Is it rude/offensive to donate used under garments?

Several months ago I remember reading an article about an organization who were collecting bras for third world countries. Thanks to trusty Google I came to find Uplift Bras, an Australian charity that collects and distributes new and secondhand bras to third world countries as well as indigenous communities in the NT.

"It is not just a matter of comfort for these women. There are medical issues as well including back problems and skin diseases particularly for those who are doing hard manual labour."

Check out Uplift Bras and the good work they do.

So in the keeping up with the crazy season and borrowing a quote from Damien Hirst "it's not me but the drink speaking", I asked my girlfriends if they had any unwanted bras they could give me. Given that I am the so-called "hippie" of the bunch, I had to explain they weren't for me... whether they believe me, we'll see come time we exchange chrissy gifts!

Mi Shed Tu Shed

My shed is your shed. And so leads me to add another #collcons business to the list.

Open Shed is a peer-to-peer rental website that allows you to list the things you have around the house, which you might not want to let go of but you also never really have any use for.

There's much benefits to be reaped by not being so precious about your stuff. One namely is that you can make a little cash from renting out your stuff but also you can save yourself a little cash by testing driving items you might want to play with now but maybe not in the future.

Another benefit as well as being in line with the Buy Nothing New Month campaign, a campaign that saw the social media junkie in me come out, is the reduction of waste, thus the reduction of items sent to landfill, thus the reduction of greenhouse gases produced. Wooah and wow, cause it's a win-win-win!

Let's remember, Buy Nothing New Month ain't about anti-shopping, rather it’s pro conscientious consumption, thus it's not ‘Buy Nothing New Never.

In an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald Business pages, ‘Will Any One Buy Anti-Shopping Campaign’, a poll was carried out asking readers what they thought of Buy Nothing New Month. Over 10,000 people voted (this is huge for an online poll) with 82% saying Buy Nothing New Month to be a good idea, only 18% suggesting it would harm the economy.

This simply shows that there's a groundswell of people living thoughtfully when it comes to respecting our finite resources. Businesses such as OpenShed help foster such behavioural change in consumption and asset owernship, making it easier for the everyday Joe Blow to cash in on the potential $3,772 worth of unwanted items they have around the home. On an economic scale, this equates to almost $43 billion in potential trade. So hands up if you think not buying new will hurt the economy??

Flexi-ing my bank balance & carbon footprint #collcons

To kick off my Collaborate Consumption life, I got myself a Flexicar Membership via a Green Renters membership. A double win.

A Green Renters membership starts from $25 to $100. No matter which membership you take out with Green Renters, you're guaranteed to score yourself a Flexicar Membership as well. You see, Flexicar is a carsharing business that recognizes there are cheaper and greener ways to car ownership. Partnering with Green Renters highlights Flexicar's committment in paving the way for a more sustainable world.

The 3 major benefits of a Flexicar membership:

• Rid the responsibilities and costs of car ownership such as servicing, car insurance and registration
• Eliminate the fears of purchasing a dud car
  
• Reduce your environmental impact by only using the car when you truly need to

Check out the car locations to see if they are conveniently located near you. I'm pretty lucky, the closet flexicar from where I live is a 2 min walk away. Booyah!

What I'm also loving is I can also choose the type of car I need or want. So if I need to pick up something large like a bookshelf from Gumtree or at the market or on eBay, its so much cheaper and less of a hassle to simply grab the flexicar than to organize a delivery guy (usually $50) or hire a car for a whole day.

Taking out a Green Renters membership helps support the work they do in providing sustainable living advice to those living in rental property.

With Christmas just around the corner, this could be the gift of all gifts! "Hey hun, guess who gotcha a car for Christmas?! It's all yours when you need it!"

Challenging the Status Quo with #CollCons

#CollCons, the Twitter hashtag for Collaborate Consumption. A term used to define a way of life in the 21st century as opposed to 20th Century Hyper Consumption where it's about more, more and more. #collcons gives real meaning to less is more.

Christmas being just round the corner means we're also headed towards a new year. Wowzer, another year already? While I'm not a fan of using this phrase but I will, boy time sure does fly. Rather scary actually, there's still so much to do, and yet the years seem to keep passing me by.

I've wasted so much time constantly searching and hoping others will do the right/honorable thing, and while I have the support, I am still seen as a complicated character, or the nicer term would be free-spirited. People simply don't understand why I choose to work part-time and occasionally freelance. I continually get sent full-time job offers and I know it's because they care. But you see, I feel I have more control of my life when I work 2 jobs. Having watched organizations screw people over, I don't need to waste my time worrying if one day I'll be the one screwed over. One job will always be a back up for the other. I know I have a strong work ethic but I also know I don't like being taken advantage of either.

Life ain't a dress rehearsal. And I want to live.

So enters Collaborate Consumption. If I reduce my consumption or if I share my consumption, I can work less and live more.

In the next few weeks, I'll be joining, signing up, registering with #collcons focused businesses to support my life changes. Watch this space. Sustainable behavior change, absolutely!

Dining the way it should be

I probably have mentioned this a number of times that I'm a hop, skip and jump kinda girl. So it says quite a lot when I say I will travel to the otherside just to dine at Little Deer Tracks, a cafe and gallery in Coburg. Two trains will get me there or a rather long bike ride or lets compromise, 1 train ride and a reduced bike ride!

There is much to list as to why Little Deer Tracks has found a way to my heart. I've always had a soft spot for Italian family home style dishes (Da Noi in South Yarra being my ultimate favourite restaurant of all time... get the picture?!), but it also doesn't hurt that the cafe is the brainchild of Marco Sellitto, a veteran known for iconic venues such as the Continental, Marios and the Italian.

You wouldn't know until someone decides to order bacon on side that this is a meat-free cafe. Being meat-free however, doesn't mean boring and blah. Far from it. Spaghetti with lentil ragu, brocolli saffaron lemon fetta risotto, fetticinni with wild porcini mushoon and truffle are a just a few dishes to tempt you with. Yes I love my carbs and naturally those dishes linger in my memory more so than any carb free ones!

Little Deer Tracks is a place where one can expect healthy, fresh food, organic, free-range, pure olive oil used for frying, rennet-free cheeses, homemade and slow cooked but without any of the "hippie" tags or labels. Coz at the end of the day it's all about good food. No "faux" meat, just real food.

Should you cave and order a pasta dish, I recommend that you throw in the towel and load up on the cafe's infamous sourdough bread, which Marco calls ''Pascoe Vale brew'', where he nurtured the starter for four years on his window sill. I would never have thought bread could be sooo amazing but it can.

Btw, staff are mighty charming, unpretentious and knows a thing or two when it comes to dressing vintage!

Quirky love, the cafe is scattered with loads of little piggie figurines. But don't think it's just for decoration, one has gone missing and continues to be soarly missed.

Could I, will I eventually become a Coburgher, who knows? But what I do know is that this is how cafes and restaurants should be. A fine example, something for the government to consider when selling climate change?

Nature's Alternative Soap is A-OK

A while back I purchased a packet of Wild Soapnuts. I had read about them in an Oxfam email blast but it was at one of the many markets I loiter at, that I finally made the purchase. While I may have made the purchase I either forgot about them or there was so much laundry detergent laying around that I just never had the need to use them. I'm all about not wasting anything unless I really dislike it but I will always give it a go first or it's past it's used by date.

Anyhoo, I finally took the plunge and tested these Wild Soapnuts over the weekend. I had finally run out of laundry detergent, outside was washing weather and I was in desperate need of underwear. Everything was going swimmingly until I realized a funky smell on my fingers. These Wild Soapnuts sure are smelly. Not sure if its just the ones I got but lets say I had to wash my hands not once, not twice but three times to rid the funky smell. So I was worried during the wash cycle. Will my precious clothes reek? OMG I hope not.

Guess what? They didn't, actually there was no smell but maybe a clean one! Plus my mascara stained towel was no longer mascara stained. Booyah! I really need to have more faith, don't I?

What are Soapnuts?

The soapnuts I used are from the outside of a macadamia-sized berry found in the Himalayan foothills, which is then cracked open and dried in the sun, producing a dark golden shell. The shells are found to contain a high percentafe of saponins (mother nature's soap), a surfacant, which is found to remove dirt and oils from fabric when dispered in water.

Why Soapnuts?

Soapnuts are a wild harvested product in true organic form. Used for centuries in India, China and Nepal, and has been tested to be hypollergenic, antibacterial, biodegradable. It's on the supermarket shelves in Europe and it's cheaper than the chemical alternatives.

Soapnuts can actually be used as a liquid soap as well, but for the time being I'll just stick to using them to launder with first! For more info check www.wildsoapnuts.com.au

M.I.A. Green Chic

Yes, I've been kinda M.I.A lately. But I've not been away. I've actually been rather active on the social media front. Tweeting, Facebook-ing, Blogging, YouTubing rah rah rah under the moniker(?) Buy Nothing New Month. That's right folks I've taken charge of the social media side of the campaign. Privileged, absolutely. Busy, damn straight. But all in all it's exciting. It's a campaign where it's not asking for money, it's more, in my opinion, about setting you free.

I personally, view the campaign and these are my thoughts only, as why be manipulated into buying stuff you don't need? Know what you like, buy what you like. But don't say you don't have money or boo the carbon tax or the economy and retailers will suffer. These are pretty poor excuses. For retailers, are you scared people will realize you're selling them a crap product? What makes you so special? What about service businesses? What about businesses that are striving to do good or design for the better? Do they not deserve a fair go? As oppose to retailers manipulaing people to buy stuff they don't need? I pity those who defend these retailers, how they need someone they don't even know to stroke their ego for a brief moment, just to be sucked into buying an item they may never use so as to feel better about themselves in the short-term. But in the long-term they end up the sad fool who continues wishing they were something they're not, rather than just living and doing what truly makes them happy. If you are angered by my opinions, then I guess I've hit a nerve ?!

I'm not saying there's a right or there's a wrong. Everyone's values are different. If you value buying stuff you never use, higher than saving for something you really want, like a house or a holiday, or even that beautiful hand made necklace, then we don't have a problem. We only have a problem when you're not truly honest with yourself.

Wooah a light hearted campaign and I've not made it light hearted in this post. But this is my personal blog and I own my thoughts.

I'll leave you with the light hearted side of the campaign by quoting Buy Nothing New Month ambassador, Paul Gilding;

“Buy Nothing New Month isn’t about going without, nor is it Buy Nothing New Never. With the rising costs and pressures of living, it’s about living smarter, reassessing how much we really need, looking at where our stuff comes from, where it goes, and what our alternatives are. Importantly, it highlights the time and money we can access by modifying our consumption and waste.”

WORD.

Round the Corner I find 2 Bushrangers

Two-ish months ago, I moved into new shin digs and while I miss having the yarra river right at my door steps (now I’m 10 minutes away from it), I am however rewarded with a new local. I do love Tofu International on Bridge Road but I consider that a little far for me. I’m a hop, skip and a jump kinda gal. So coming across Gypsey and Musquito was like finding gold at the end of the rainbow!

Why I am in love with Australian bushrangers from Van Diemen’s Land? The story of Musquito, an Aboriginal, and Gypsey, an British, uniting to fight for indigenous rights, teamed with servings of free-range eggs and pork, offerings of 6 types of bush teas, use of leatherwood honey from Tasmania and bush tomatoes (for chutney) from the Northern Territory, basically keeping it short and sweet, they work under the banner of local, native and iconic produce.

Recycle, reuse, upcycle, all things that encapsulates sustainability and tables that faciliate communal bonding, makes this local treasure a home away from home.

For coffee connoisseurs, 5 Senses is the choice of brew. And for those who have a soft spot for childhood favourites, Spiders (the drink) are also on offer but with a twist. Mineral sodas such as blood orange together with ice cream in jim jam jars, helps make Summer not seem so far away.

NB - KeepCup friendly yes they are!

Do your bit with just one call

I live in the City of Yarra. As a renter I don't really take much notice of what's happening in my municipality but you know I really should.

What I didn't realise and I reckon most residents don't either is that we don't have to dump our hard rubbish on the streets. While leaving hard rubbish on the kerb can be seen as a generous way of letting go of items, it's also a fast track way of sending items to landfill. And we want to avoid landfill as items sent to landfill increases greenhouse gases.

So how has the City of Yarra address this issue? They have set up a hotline (03) 9205 5190 for residents who wish to request a hard or green waste collection. By having council collect our hard/green waste, they are in a better position to dispose, recycle and recover items for re-use.

One phone call, too friggin easy don't you think?

Price on Carbon explained in 2 easy minutes

Thank you GetUp! Action for Australia
- An independent movement to build a progressive Australia and bring participation back into our democracy.



it's not complicated...

Attenborough... you beauty

With all this hoo-ha surrounding carbon tax, David Attenborough sums it up beautifully and simply in under 100 words...

"The future of life on earth depends on our ability to take action. Many individuals are doing what they can, but real success can only come if there's a change in our societies and our economics and in our politics. I've been lucky in my lifetime to see some of the greatest spectacles that the natural world has to offer. Surely we have a responsibility to leave for future generations a planet that is healthy, inhabitable by all species."

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Zoya for my nails

I have a thing. I'm not a fan of feet. So much so, I simply squirm even at the thought of people having foot fetishes. It's not just other people's feet I don't like, I don't even like my own. Maybe its because I don't treat them with much love and do tend to work them pretty hard. Hey, backpacking and climbing Angkor Watt in havannas, no probs! I just love the easy laid backness of it all. However, being so closely exposed to dirt and grime and getting that grime caught benneth the toenails is just 100% yick. So that's why I like, no make it luv when my feet are given the pamper treatment. I avoid the feet by treating myself to spa pedicures on a regular basis. But how can I, being a green chick green a luxury I luv so much? BYO nail polish! Majority of manicure/pedicures businesses stock and thus use nail polishes that are damaging to the environment. Since I go for the service and not the actual product, I bring my own natural nail polish that is free of toluene, formalehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor.

Thank you Zoya, I no longer feel guilty from a simple pleasure.

i eat green

I don't deliberately seek out green foods nor do I solely eat green foods. It just so happens broccolli pasta is one of my favourites, a childhood favourite to be more exact.

I grew up in a neighbourhood where as kids we would roam the streets on our bikes whether it be to the park, the local milkbar or to the creek to fish for tadpoles and yabbies. We would pop over to each others houses via the back fence as much fun was always had by the pool. Like That 70's Show, we would all generally converge at the Cardamones, as did the 70s kids gathered at the Foremans. Lucy (mother Cardamone), would always welcome us with open arms and feed us wholesome homestyle Italian meals. Broccolli pasta being one of them.

Twenty years on, broccolli pasta still goes down a treat. The simplificity, flavours and memories that comes from this dish will always remain a winner in my books!

Broccolli Pasta:

Standard bag of Frozen/Fresh broccolli (in this instant I used frozen)

125g Butter

5 tbls Olive Oil

500g Pasta

1/4 cup of grated Parmensen cheese

Salt, Pepper and extra parmensen to taste

1. Boil brococolli til soft and mash


2. Melt butter in a pan and add olive oil


3. Add broccolli mash


4. Mix in cooked pasta


5. Toss through grated parmensen


6. Salt and pepper to taste


7. Serve

Quote - Kylie Kwong

I'm Green and I'm Budget OK

The Australian Federal Budget was released yesterday and while the media present the budget in a negative light, I am okay with what has been proposed. Of course putting the country in debt is not favorable BUT what can be achieved is quite promising. While I am a Greenie, I am more optimistic than the 6/10 rating given by the Greens.

Yes there were cuts made to Climate Change but seriously were the Green Car Innovation Fund, Green Start Program and Clean Car Rebate viable initiatives? I'm glad they're gone. Yes, wasted money but better to admit they are failures now than later.

New initiatives such as $45.6 million going to farmers with the aim of reducing the agricultural impact on climate change, $100 million for renewable energy and efficiency projects, extending the Solar Hot Water Rebate program as part of a $144.2 million renewable scheme, and allocating $20 million to establish a biofuel research institute, are in my opinion more viable solutions in effecting sustainable behaviour.

Helping our farmers, helps with localizing our economy.

'Going local' is a powerful strategy to help repair our fractured world – our ecosystems, our societies and our selves. Far from the old institutions of power, people are starting to forge a very different future... - The Economics of Happiness

I have no sympathy for those who were disappointed to not receive any relief on raising utility bills. How self-involved are these people? Pay for what you use. The law of economics will tell you there is no frigging free lunch.

A recent study Origin Energy, found Australians wasted an astonishing $1 billion on standby energy.

Oh, and onya Gillard for investing heavily in work and training as there are a lot of thick heads out there who need to be properly skilled and skilled in such a way that will foster sustainable actions/behavior.

For I, the budget is a wake up call for Australia to take responsibility.

*I am all for supporting 100% renewable energy, however it is not a solution in addressing our wasteful habits

My pursuit of happiness

Last night I attended the screening of “The Economics of Happiness”, presented by the Australian Conservation Foundation, Victorian Eco Innovation Lab (VEIL) and The Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, which was followed by a Q&A session with film maker Helen Norberg-Hodge.

A beautifully made film that simply links environmental and social movements to promote a ‘new’ economy. It’s nothing out of this world but that’s the thing, it’s pretty much common sense yet somehow we continue to live in a world where a false illusion exist that globalization is the key to economic growth and will solve poverty. HA! End of the day,“globalization is built on handouts to big businesses”, and that is far from sustainable.

We are surrounded with “romanticize images of consumerism” and “superficial solutions”. Are we that insecure to think this will make us happy?

"Research has shown again and again and again, that biodiverse small farms using ecological inputs, produce 3 to 5 times more food than industrial producers" - Vandana Shiva

"All I need is a complete integrated farm of one acre, and I can feed 20 people. We don't need agricultural scientists, we don't need hybrid seeds, we don't need GM, we don't need anything. We just need to be left alone to do our farming." - Balaji Shankar

Intrigued? You can grab a copy of the film via this link or tweet me and we'll get a social experiment happening through twitter where we'll tweet and follow where my copy will travel, a case of collaborative consumption? #collconshappiness

Haigh's chocolate is not just chocolate

I work a part-time job to pay the bills and so that I can truly spend MY time working towards a sustainable future. Afterall, David Suzuki did say we needed to slow down, and slow down I have, no longer am "I heading towards a brick wall at 100 miles an hour."

What makes my part-time job tolerable is my manager. She understands my motivations in sustainability and lends her support to it. Bless her as my actual work and the organization I work for is far from accepting to environmental sustainability. An organization with offices nationwide and abroad, it's quite disappointing they are without a sustainability policy. This is something I hope to change... but will leave that for another blog post.

Anyhoo, with Easter drawing near, my manager gifted a Golden Murray Cod to my team in-place of Easter Eggs. No, it wasn't literally a slimy fish but a chocolate shaped fish from luxury chocolatier Haigh's. Such a lovely gesture. You see the Murray Cod is an iconic fish. It is the largest freshwater fish in Australia, growing up to 1.8 metres long and has an estimated life span of over 100 years! But it is now in danger. Numbers are in great decline and it has been classified as a vulnerable species. So what Haigh's has done is produce a Chocolate Murray Cod made in honour of the native Murray Cod. Part proceeds from the sale of every Haigh’s Chocolate Murray Cod goes to Healthy Rivers Australia (previously known as The Waterfind Environment Fund). This not-for-profit organization works to improve the health of Australia’s river systems and support the survival of our precious native fish species.

A lovely gesture as my manager did not just give me chocolate, she gave her support to a vulnerable specie.

click the above image to find out more on
Haigh's Green scheme

Garage Sale Trail hits Melbourne via a Roller Door

mX - Melbourne

ABC News


Green Magazine

Roller Door Cafe is a local of mine and one of the very first in Melbourne to jump on the Garage Sale Trail. Fair trade coffee, biodegradable coffee cups when you forget your KeepCup, organic goodies, free range eggs, weekly organic food boxes and rooftop honey, plus the added bonus of being super fly makes this green chick mighty giddy to have it as one of her locals!

Added bonus, Matt the barista aka the early riser aka the caffine saviour did come in second as serving the best drop of coffee in Melbourne, amongest the likes of St Ali, Brunettis, Julio's and Caffe Remo.

When it all fits, it really does fit.

Green Chic booyah!

Who is Green Chick?

I often receive offers to have a "proper" photo taken. Not because I am drop dead gorgeous but because of my headless profile picture. FYI, that's not even me, it's a photo taken by the Satorialist during Paris Fashion week 2009. Everything about the photo encapulates what green chic is all about.

But it does bring up the question of who is green chick? Well I thought I'd let you in on who I am. No face but that's cos green chick is not about what I look like, but rather the life I lead. Hence, anyone can be green chick.

This is my bike - I use it to get from A to B. I ride slow and I hum when I ride.

This is one of two of my solar powered lamps - I used them to ease myself to sleep together with a good read

These are my retro furnishings - I dump my bag and everything else I don't want dumped on the floor on them

These are my soy candles - I like the smell of caramel and the light it gives. The soy tealight candle is citronella which keeps the mozzies away!

These are my memories - I am happy when surrounded by things that have been gifted and are personal to me - music/art/beach

A place called Commonground

The 2011 Sustainable Living Festival may have wrapped up a month ago, but the team behind the Festival continues to live and breath the magic as they plan for 2012.

2012 planning kicked off with a weekend away at Commonground in Seymour. A magical place that fosters collaboration in the mist of serenity and nature.

"Commonground is an Intentional Social Change community established in the early eighties. The founders were a small group of social activists exploring their best collective contribution to the creation of a just, nonviolent and sustainable world."

Commonground is a place that fosters the "keep it real" movement. The place seems to put me at ease, where social norms are no longer a priority. Getting in touch with nature, getting in touch with the people around you, and quite simply just breathing. And to think all this is found in our own backyard. I can only hope this kind of community spirit continues to thrive. It may have taken years and much blood, sweat and tears to achieve what they have, but the outcome, well it sure makes me wonder why one would ever doubt magic. Think, a place made from recycled materials, a place where resources are shared (co-housing), a place where the pool is the damn that is warm from the natural sunlight. Make it what you want. For the crazy Festival kids, 3 words: Royal Rajasthan Discotheque.

The Atlantic - Ocean to Plate with a game to play

The Atlantic at Crown, the latest addition to Crown's monstrosity, has been in the works for a number of months but as we were told by one of the visiting managers, it was only a couple of weeks ago that it officially open. While the place looked beautiful, I do question whether it has been all smooth sailing (excuse the pun).

Even though I may call Crown a monstroscity, I am however rather curious to find out if what the Atlantic prides itself on, "a team who hand selects an unrivalled selection of wild and sustainable fish, unique oyster varieties and pristine shellfish", truly justifies the price and the hoohar surrounding its arrival. I do give it the benefit of the doubt since the intention to be sustainable is there, right?

Conclusion, overated. Quality, decent but for the price and teamed with inexperienced staff makes this over priced dining experience quite laughable. Seriously. Watching my brother get taken on a tour of the restaurant unintentionally, taking away the place setting when we were still waiting on one, placing the napkin on all laps but mine, watching bimbos juggle plates, even with all this, the piece of resistance was the game we played or rather I played. Counting the number of times dishes went back and forth from table to table, an unintentional game of musical dishes perhaps?!

This of course has nothing to do with chef Donovan Cooke. The menu is crafted with great thought and does cater for all. Those with acquired taste to cashed up bogans who not surprising will alway pick the seafood platter (at $85 per person and requiring no skill at all to cook..hmmm...). The unfortunate thing however was we had to send a plate back for it was undercooked.

On a better note, desserts were of a fine selection. Much to choose from, I wanted them all! But if given a choice, I could probably do without them, as my heart still belongs to Dai Noi.

This is a place to be seen and possibly the "green" intention is there (though I am not fully convinced). Sadly these two factors just doesn't cut it in my books. Billy Kwong can you please come to Melbourne... pretty please.

Sweet Lochie

I am the second child as is Lochie, the second grandchild, the second nephew, the second everything. My point is we both are not the first. Not that he and I are bitter about it but let's face it, shall we say the novelty wears down after the first. I love nephew number 2 as do I love nephew number 1, but I am a bad aunty for it was Lochie's birthday on 13th January and it is only until now that I blog about it. The intention was always there but not so the urgency.

So what "green" gift do I give a one year old? To start him on his green path, a Baby SIGG bottle of course. With removable handles, good habits aka sustainable behaviour are instilled in this bub from get go!

Happy Birthday Sweet Lochie!

While you may have started life differently to most, you have however ended up being the most gorgeous, sweetest bub ever.

Earth Hour - some candles are bad eggs

Tonight is Earth Hour.

At 8:30pm, Earth Hour will sweep around the globe as people switch off their lights and celebrate a worldwide commitment to protect our planet

Initally, the idea behind Earth Hour was to make a bold symbolic statement about the critical issue of climate change and to engage Australians in taking action. 2007 was the first year of the campaign with approximately 2.2 million people and 2,100 businesses in Sydney taking part, switching off their lights in a clear signal to government and industry that there's a demand and a need for change.

Since then, Earth Hour has rapidly gained momentum and burgeoned into a worldwide, community-driven sustainability movement.

Those switching off their lights may opt for candle light. But there is a catch. If we are doing this for the purpose of saving the environment, we need to make sure the candles we use are made from soy/natural beeswax/vegan and NOT paraffin. Paraffin candles in fact does more damage than turning on a light as paraffin candles produce a number of byproducts when they are combusted, including greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Paraffin is also a petroleum product, making it a nonrenewable resource and adding to pollution through oil spills and other issues associated with the oil extraction process.

SOY CANDLES are BEST!

Local Vs Imports: The Show Down

There's this belief that buying local is best. While I can see the arguments for buying local, ie supporting local farmers and the local economy, and less travel miles, it was only recently that I started to question this idea. You see I was at Aldi supermarket the other day where I was faced with the decision as to whether to buy a bottle of olive oil made in Australia or one made in Itay. Naturally I went for the Australian one. But looking at the carbon label and Aldi's website, if I am to choose an olive oil that is good for the environment and will reduce my carbon footprint, I have selected wrongly.

The ALDI everyday range of olive oil products has undergone a comprehensive assessment to determine the total carbon footprint, which encompasses all the life cycle stages, from raw materials and manufacturing right through to disposal or recycling of packaging.

Each olive oil product has been assessed and certified by the Carbon Trust as meeting all requirements of the Publicly Available Standard 2050 (PAS 2050). The PAS 2050 is a consultative document that specifies standard best practice for the assessment of the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of goods and services.

Judging from Aldi's carbon assessment chart, the olive oil from Italy has a lower overall carbon footprint of 300 as oppose to the one from Australia which has a footprint of 320

This then leads me to the question, have we been naive and too trusting to believe everything purchased "local" is best?

Buying local food does not guarantee that it is sustainably produced. Pesticides, chemical fertilizers, factory farming, hormone use, and non-therapeutic use of antibiotics can all be involved in local food production, so it's important to make sure that the local food that is bought is from farmers or gardeners using sustainable methods.

Thus it is important to know the true carbon footprint from the things we buy. Fortunately, Aldi has taken the lead by working with Planet Ark, to introduce the carbon reducation label.

Aldi maybe internationally owned, they do however strive to operate with a sustainable conscience and will always endeaviour to support local farmers who just need to offload their goods.

The Great Debate - Is Environmentalism Failing?

One of the highlights from the 2011 Sustainable Living Festival.
A sold out event, naturally. If you missed it, here's your chance to catch up or if you were there, a chance for you to take a trip down memory lane!



Starring - David Suzuki, Ian Lowe, Christine Milne MP, Anna Rose, Clive Hamilton, Phillip Sutton, and moderated by the one and only Julia Zemiro

Selling out to travel

I have a confession while I try to live a "green" sustainable life, there is one thing I just can't give up. Travel. I absolutely adore traveling. Immersing oneself in another lifestyle, another culture, knowing that there is so much out, is something I constantly crave, that is to seek out the unknown. So what can I do? I can offset my travel.

While I do see purchasing offsets as a cop out, it is necessary when there is no other option. Well the other option is to take a year off and gradually make my way to each desired destination, but that's not possible... well not at this point in time.

So how do I make my travel the greenest it can be? Take my weekend away to Sydney and Canberra.

Flights:

• Melbourne to Sydney [.23 tonnes = $5.75]
• Canberra to Melbourne [.15 tonnes = $3.75]
  

Shared car travel:

• Hawthorn to Burnley to Tulla Airport (return) [7.4kms]
• Sydney car rental to National Gallery of Australian Canberra [288.1kms]
• NGA to Food to Canberra Airport [7.1km]

=> Total car travel per person = 302.6km = $62.75/3 = $20.92

TOTAL travel offset $5.75 + $3.75 + $20.92 = $30.42

Offset calculations via Climate Positive

[I've only offset my flights as I'm not too sure how to go about offsetting my portion of vehicle travel, or whether I have to offset the whole lot ie $62.75]

*Car travel 3 peeps
*Staying in the area we want to hang avoided any car/taxi travel as most things were within walking distance. Tho we did take the bus twice!
*Eating organic. An abundance of choice in Surry Hills, so that's where we stayed!

yes that's Anne Hathaway, she too paid a visit to Collector Store (tho not @ the same time as moi!)

Easy Money

I scream, you scream, we all scream not for ice cream but for some extra cash in the kitty!

The Garage Sale Trail launched yesterday in Sydney, home to the first ever Garage Sale Trail. Last year Bondi brought out their goods and went all out to impress, so much so, for 2011 they're taking it National!

On April 10 2011, all over Australia peeps will be holding garage sales to celebrate community, sustainability and creativity, and all in the name of good old fashion fun!

The Garage Sale Trail isn't just about buying and selling, it's also about getting out and about, meeting your neighbours and celebrating what's special about our community.

So have you registered your garage sale? Do it NOW @ http://www.garagesaletrail.com.au/

And follow them on Twitter @garagesaletrail, I suspect there will be many more surprises to come!

February Wrap Up

It's been a pretty crazy month or so. While slowing down, I ended up being immersed 24/7 in a world of sustainability and environmentalism. I have been on a mission, Mission: Safe Climate. A mission joined by the likes of David Suzuki, Michael Reynolds, aka Garbage Warrior, Charlie Pickering, Julia Zemiro, Adam Bandt, Clive Hamilton, Anna Rose, Catherine Deveny, and the list just goes on....

It's been super amazing and to top it off, I did get to meet not just one but two internationally renowned environmentalists. Booyah! Just gives me more ammo to continue the mission.

A long overdue post - Garden Love

[the cooking area is made from recycled tiles and bricks that has been carefully carved to perfection]

My first friend at primary school is still a dear friend of mine. Believe it or not, I still remember how we met. We were in the same prep class and we were sitting on the floor during quiet time. She asked me what my name was and I asked her what her name was. Her name was Emma. I had never come across an Emma and I went home telling mum I had a new friend called Amen, as going to a catholic school I was exposed to a lot of amens and at that time to me Emma sounded a lot like amen.

Twenty-six years later, Emma and I are still friends. While we live and work in different circles, we always make the time to catch over Christmas and New Year and for each other's birthdays.

So at the start of the year, I headed over to Em and Mick's new digs. They've been renovating for a while as they work full-time. However, the love and dedication they have put into their home has been worth the wait.

What I love about their house, is Mick the green thumb and hands on type of guy that he is, has created a garden haven that steers clear of any nonna/nonno resemblance. Tasteful, modern and very inviting. It just goes to show how fulfilling something can be when you put love into it.

Inspiration comes from Terra Nostra in Campagnia, Italy. Terra Nostra I am told was an adventure they had in Italy where they were invited to a feast of home grown produce and locally farmed meats. Everything about Terra Nostra was about self-sufficiency, a concept that always gets me spellbound.