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!