What she did really want over the Christmas holidays, was entertainment. Getting outside, drawing, making and baking things. Thanks to the crappy weather we spent quite a bit of time inside, so finding things to do to entertain her was quite a challenge. Luckily there are websites like http://www.lovelytrash.com/ to go to for inspiration. Lovelytrash takes recycling to a new level with creative ideas for making great toys, decorations, furniture and all sorts using the contents of your recycling bin.

Phthalates are softening agents added to many toys, lotions and creams for all age groups especially in industrialised countries. Recent studies have shown that when a baby is exposed to these chemicals, even in topical products, that the phthalates and their derivatives are absorbed into the blood stream and also present in the urine. One of the better known effects of phthalate exposure in babies is an underdeveloped male reproductive system. There is an indisputable link between high phthalate exposure either in utero or after birth, and several developmental abnormalities such as those listed below.

Some Recognised Symptoms of Moderate to Severe Phthalate exposure in Babies

• incomplete dropping of the testicles
• reductions in the masculinsing hormone dihydrotestosterone
• reduced distance between the anus and the base of the penis (AGD) – which is used to predict abnormalities in adult reproductive development. The AGD should normally be twice as long in males as it is in females, however studies have shown that significant phthalate exposure to male infants may shorten this measure. The shorter the anogenital distance the more feminised the body in question.
• the development of proliferative lesions in Leydig cells, which are located in the testicles

Mineral oil is a by-product of commercial processes involving crude oil, and when applied to the skin will produce an oily coating. As a moisturiser it is barely effective, because it is so poorly absorbed and does not allow the skin to breathe. This hasn’t stopped many commercial manufacturers from using it in their baby ranges though because it is cheap to produce. Natural emulsions such as beeswax, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and sesame oil are a much better alternative. Knowing that just about anything that sits on a babys skin, is likely at some stage to enter their mouths via the fingers also should discourage one from purchasing products containing mineral oil.. On ingredient lists you will find mineral oil listed also as petroleum, paraffin or paraffin oil.

Oestrogenic chemicals and derivates in the environment, processed foods and in skin care products are part of the phthalate controversy. So when purchasing any products, be sure to choose those that use natural organic and biodynamic ingredients. These are less likely to contain environmental hormones.

With a better understanding of the ‘baddies’ in commercial baby products you can reduce the risk of toxicity, allergy and discomfort for your baby. In summary, here are some tips to help you select better and healthier products for you and your baby:

• Read labels
• Choose natural skin care products that use organic and biodynamic ingredients, ensuring top quality raw materials that are free of nasty chemicals
• Avoid mineral oils and petrochemicals
• Avoid any products that contain artificial fragrances. Most naturally derived fragrances from flowers and herbs are fine.
• Look for organic and pure products that may also contain the label “Phthalate-free”. Also avoid placing plastic bottles in the microwave, as transmigration of plastics under heat leads to chemicals being passed into the contents of the bottle.
• Patch test new products for potential allergic reactions by dabbing a small amount on the inside of your baby’s elbows.
• Live an organic lifestyle. A recent study showed changing to a biodynamic, organic diet can virtually eliminate all traces of phthalates in the body!

References
1. Norman J. Barlow, Barry S. Mcintyre and Paul M.D. Foster 2004,
Male Reproductive Tract Lesions at 6, 12, and 18 Months of Age Following in Utero Exposure to Di(n-butyl) Phthalate , 32; 79 Toxicol Pathol
2. Sharpe RM., 2001, Hormones and testis development and the possible adverse effects of environmental chemicals, Toxicol Lett. Mar 31;120(1-3):221-32
3. Chensheng Lu,1 Kathryn Toepel,2 Rene Irish,2 Richard A. Fenske,2 Dana B. Barr,3 and Roberto Bravo3 2006, Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’s Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides, Environ Health Perspect. February; 114(2): 260–263.
4. Wasmuth HE, Kolb H, 2000, Cow’s milk and immune-mediated diabetes, Proc Nutr Soc. 2000 Nov;59(4):573-9.
5. Harrison LC, Honeyman MC. 1999, Diabetes. Cow’s milk and type 1 diabetes: the real debate is about mucosal immune function, Aug;48(8):1501-7
6. Berthold Koletzko, MD, 2000, Complementary Foods and the Development of Food Allergy, PEDIATRICS Vol. 106 No. 5 pp. 1285
7. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, (1997), “Inactive” Ingredients in Pharmaceutical Products, PEDIATRICS Vol. 99 No. 2, pp. 268-278
8. Burks, W, (2003), Skin Manifestations of Food Allergy, PEDIATRICS Vol. 111 No. 6, pp. 1617-1624.

By Su-lin Sze, 2011, Naturopath and Consultant to Weleda, manufacturer of holistic products for mother and baby.

Wood can be considered a fairly green construction material. However, there can also be significant environmental and social impacts associated with logging. With the help of Greenpeace’s ‘Good Wood’ guide it is easier to see the wood for the trees so to speak. Whilst it advocates using wood sourced from certified schemes such as the Forestry Stewardship Council, there is a load more advice in relation to which wood is good, the five best and worst imported timbers in Australia and questions to ask before buying timber products. An essential read for any eco-conscious renovator.

The Good Wood guide has implemented a green, amber and red coding scheme. According to the Good Wood guide, the best timber to buy is:

Green-Good Wood

• From FSC-certified forests

• Verified Pacific ecotimber and community forest operations

• Verified recycled, reused and urban salvage

Amber-Second choice

Includes sources that are in transition to Good Wood or from non-controversial or neutral source. Question the supplier, if they can prove the wood comes from one of the following sources it is OK to buy. Amber wood status is:

• Verified from a forest or plantation in transition to FSC certification (e.g via stepwise schemes such as Tropical Forest Trust (TFT) or SmartStep)

• Certified by standards other than FSC. CSA standards are okay but MTCC, PEFC, AFS and ISO are not.

• Verified legal by the credible third-party Smart Wood VLC (verification of legal compliance).

• Verified community small-scale sawn timber or Community Timber

• Plantation wood (not preservative treated) verified as not coming from an area where the forest was cleared to make the plantation after 1994, including rubberwood, eucalyps, cypresses and acacia

• Non-verified recycled, reused and urban salvage

• Bamboo, coconut wood and recovered orchard trees like mango wood.

Red-Bad Wood

Timber species to be avoided.

Generally timber from Papua New Guinea or Indonesia is not Good Wood as it is logged destructively and/or illegally. 70% of Indonesian timber and up to 90% of PNG timber is illegally logged. Timber products imported from China are likely to be made from these timbers as well.

It’s a jungle out there in terms of working out what you should and shouldn’t avoid. There is a lot more advice and frequently asked questions available on Greenpeace’s Goodwood website.

The Solar Bonus Scheme was to be reviewed when it reached 50 megawatts (MW) or 2012, whichever came first. NSW reached 52 MW by mid-2010. The review shows that the take-up rate of the scheme has been faster than expected, and demonstrates that, to date, the scheme has created more than 100MW of renewable energy capacity. More than 50,000 customers have joined the scheme. Due to the rate subscription in the first 10 months of the Solar Bonus Scheme, NSW Government have closed the current program and introduced a ‘more sustainable’ tariff rate of 20 cents/kWH (from 27 October 2010). However, this will not affect customers already participating in the scheme.

The review of the scheme showed that a range of factors, including the strong Australian dollar and renewable energy policies overseas, has seen prices of solar panels more than halve since the program first commenced. Since 2009, there has been a flood of cheaper panels from China and Spain.
The new program with the 20c tariff rate will be subject to review on 1 July 2012 and at the end of the program (31 December 2016).

With electricity prices set to rise by up to 64% over the next three years in NSW, lets hope the feed-in-tariff follows suit.

South Australia’s largest cemetery has been named a finalist for a major Australian environment award.

Centennial Park is a finalist in the 2010 Banksia Environmental Awards, in the Leading in Sustainability category for small to medium businesses.

The Banksia Environmental Awards recognise environmental excellence and sustainability. They are an initiative of the Banksia Environmental Foundation.

Centennial Park Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bryan Elliott, said the finalist position was welcome recognition of the cemetery’s environmental responsibility efforts.

“Centennial Park is helping Australians to reduce the environmental impact of their final resting places,” he said.

“A range of improvements have enabled us to reduce carbon emissions by an average of 10.7% per cremation and burial service over the past two years.

“Centennial Park was the first cemetery in Australia – possibly the world – to manage our entire greenhouse gas emissions with a carbon offset scheme.

“We are extremely pleased to be recognised in this prestigious awards program. This firmly cements our position as the environmental leader in Australia’s cemetery industry.”

Other environmental improvements at Centennial Park include reducing operational waste to landfill by 95.7%, vehicle emissions by 10% and reliance on mains water.

Following simple steps that reduced electricity use by 9%, new technology in the cemetery’s chapels and administration buildings have created further reductions of 25% and 14.5% respectively. Crematorium improvements have reduced gas consumption by 5% and electricity consumption by 10%.

Centennial Park is also creating new life for flora and fauna with a revegetation program to attract more native birds and animals to its grounds.

Winners of the 2010 Banksia Environmental Awards will be announced in Sydney on Friday 15 October.

It all sounds very idealistic, but research recently conducted by Ikea has found that householders in UK and Ireland (where the research was done) not only ‘want a kitchen with built in energy efficiency, but they are looking for an inherently green space in which the garden and kitchen merge, allowing food to be grown in both areas’.

I love the idea of having a green kitchen, with fresh herbs, maybe even the odd strawberry or tomato on tap. But the reality for me is that I can’t keep plants alive. It seems I am not alone. Rigging up a system of hydroponics could be the answer, with inventions like the nano-garden taking low maintenance to a new level. However, I get the feeling the low tech option will require much less energy and material and will also do positive things for our internal air quality. So to incorporate living features into our green kitchen we need to consider a few things:

• close to the sink so that water used to wash vegetables can be reused to water plants

• easy access to a surface or outside for potting activities/or to put them outside to enjoy the sunshine/rain

• over an easy wipe area to mop up overenthusiastic watering

• may need to place the pots in a plate of water to prevent ants

• direct access to sunlight

• in an area that is easy to get to, but out of reach of toddlers

With the kitchen capable of generating up to a quarter of domestic greenhouse gases through cooking and refrigeration, I’ve already got the energy efficient appliances. I’ve got my waste separation area in my future kitchen all I’ve got to do now is persuade the bank manager, oh and get someone to design it for me.

Instead of a short‐term, throwaway attitude to ‘stuff’, Salvos Stores Buy Nothing New Month extends the life cycle of goods, maximises the embedded cost and resources in the stuff we buy and gives an introduction to the re‐cycled, free‐ cycled, upcycled , secondhand, ‘swishing’ and sustainable alternatives that are better for you, your wallet and the planet.

Salvos Stores Sustainability Manager, Donald Munro says, “Buy Nothing New is about seeing the value in existing stuff and reflects a growing movement of people switching off from shopping and tuning into life.”

But Buying Nothing New doesn’t mean going without. Make a Buy Nothing New pledge and you can beg, buy, barter and swap for whatever you need, as long as it is pre‐loved, but with the exceptions of necessities (including food, drink, medications and hygiene products) you can’t buy anything new.

Salvos Stores Buy Nothing New Month also shows going green doesn’t have to be expensive, but that by adapting our attitudes and approach, can be a money saving path to socially responsible consumption.

According to Affluenza author and Buy Nothing New Month supporter Clive Hamilton, “Consumption today often involves buying things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like! Buy Nothing New Month is about spending our time and money more thoughtfully.”

In October, selected Salvos Stores featuring plasma screens sponsored by Radio Rentals/Rentlo will show the viral phenomenon ‘The Story of Stuff’, an animation on the lifecycle and impact of the goods we buy.

Shane Wakelin, Clive Hamilton (Affluenza, Requiem for A Species) Sarah Wilson (Sunday Life columnist & LifeStyle YOU presenter), Chrissie Swan, Gorgi Coghlan (The Circle), James Tobin (Cleo Batchelor of the Year, Ch 7 Sunrise), Monique Wright(Ch7 Sunrise), Damian Walshe Howling and Caroline Craig (Underbelly) are on board. Are you?

This October, think about where stuff comes from, where it’s going, its embedded costs and what are the alternatives. Get into Salvos Stores, markets, swap parties and online second‐hand selling sites to experience the joys of a life less wasteful. Plus there’s a prize for the most creative Buy Nothing New pledge. Logon to www.nothingnew.com.au when the site goes live on September 1^st for entry details.

Glossary

Top Tips to Buying Nothing New

Buyers Checklist

Before handing over your hard earned cash, ask yourself:

• Is the product really necessary?

• What is its lifecycle and embodied energy?

• What are the alternatives?

• Where did it come from? How did it get here?

• What is its environmental and social impact?

• Who benefits from the purchase? What will it do for me?

• What is in it? Who made it?

Top Tips for Salvos Stores Shopping

• Best buys are gifts, clothes, homewares, kitchenware, books, toys and furniture.

• Don’t shop Mondays. Stock gets wiped out over the weekend. Those in the know go Tuesday or Thursday

• Watch your gift budget dive!Buy homewares like vases and frames, and store them for when you need a last minute gift.

• Keep an open mind. Imagine the item out of the store and in a different setting.

• Get over ‘second hand phobia’. Restaurants and hotels serve you from secondhand cutlery and secondhand sheets!

• ‘Up the hip ante’ of dresses by cutting short and sewing on mismatched patches and buttons.

• Look out for jeans; you’ll get great brands, dirt cheap. Cut them into shorts or remake into skirts. It’s easy, cheap and they’re already worn in for you!

• A quick test if jeans fit: Wrap the waist around your neck and the ends should touch. If you can’t fit the length of your fist to your elbow inside the waistband, the jeans are too small.

• Every store differs if you don’t find what you need, try another. And new stock comes in everyday.

• Ignore sizes. Second‐hand clothes may have shrunk, or designers may have changed their sizings so your frame of reference could be off. Try before you buy.

]]> http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/index.php/2010/07/15/want-free-time-and-money-this-october-buy-nothing-new/feed/ 2 http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/index.php/2010/07/09/natural-australian-cosmetics/ http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/index.php/2010/07/09/natural-australian-cosmetics/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:47:32 +0000 admin http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/?p=634 After researching and trialling natural skincare products its time for a bit of cosmetic enhancement to make the most of those natural assets. We've moved our focus to sustainable, natural makeup. It's clear that finding natural and dare we say it, eco-friendly cosmetics is a difficult task. However, the demand for more natural products, has lead to the emergence of a new breed of cosmetic company like Zuii Organic. With a focus on 'love, nature and organics' Zuii use Australian grown certified organic ingredients blended using their unique manufacturing process. We'll be profiling Zuii Organic over the coming weeks and putting their products to the test.]]>

After researching and trialling natural skincare products its time for a bit of cosmetic enhancement to make the most of those natural assets. We’ve moved our focus to sustainable, natural makeup. It’s clear that finding natural and dare we say it, eco-friendly cosmetics is a difficult task. However, the demand for more natural products, has lead to the emergence of a new breed of cosmetic company like Zuii Organic. With a focus on ‘love, nature and organics’ Zuii use Australian grown certified organic ingredients blended using their unique manufacturing process. We’ll be profiling Zuii Organic over the coming weeks and putting their products to the test.

Zuii products are free from Talc, parabens, petrochemicals, genetically modified ingredients, preservatives and have not been tested on animals. The range has been developed using certified organic flower petals, essential oils, plant extracts, vitamins and minerals.

The range includes:

• Flora powder foundation produced from organic rose petals, chamomile and jasmine flowers.
• Flora powder eyeshadow, the organic rose, chamomile and jasmine are blended with vitamins and minerals to deliver a range of colours.
• Flora powder blush using the organic rose, chamomile and jasmine flower base.
• Flora moisture liquid foundation provides medium coverage, and contains calendula, aloe vera, vitamin E and antioxidants.
• Flora lipstick, contains jojoba and sunflower rich in vitamins, whilst protecting and moisturising the skin. It also contains aloe vera for extra hydration.
• Flora lip tint is colour blended with organic rose petals, beeswax and aloe vera.
• Flora mascara is a unique blend of coltsfoot, nettle, horsetail extracts plus vitamins E and D. No petrochemicals in sight.

We can’t wait to try them out!

For more information visit http://zuiiorganic.com/

The number of products a woman uses on her face in a day can run into double figures when you add them up. Starting with cleansing, toning, moisturising, you then move onto makeup which may include foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, powder, blush, lipstick and more. Not to mention perfume which can contain a mixture of anything up to 400 chemicals. The new generation of cosmetics and the use of nano particles, means that women carry more chemicals than ever before and it is often difficult to decipher what exactly you are putting on your face. Companies may claim that their products are natural but what does this mean? New standards have been introduced to help to spot the real green options from the wannabes.

So in order to help you to identify more natural cosmetics standards such as COSMOS-standard and NaTrue have been introduced.

As part of the bid to reduce chemical use and environmental impacts the concept of ‘green chemistry’ has been developed. This considers the whole lifecycle of a product, starting at the raw materials which ideally comes from renewable resources and is grown without pesticides and herbicides. In the processing of those raw materials sustainable resources should be used. Once prepared, the transportation and packaging of those products should be minimal and efficient.

In-use the product should leave a minimal effect on the environment. That means it does not pollute waterways when rinsed off and packaging should be recyclable or biodegradable. Ideally the product should be effective so that less overall product is used.

Luckily for us the area of green chemistry is receiving more attention, which means that we are likely to see greater variety in the natural cosmetics available, including home-grown companies. Watch this space.

Their ‘minimised comprehensive range’ means that the products are potent so that they can be used sparingly and are suitable for many skin types and conditions. That way you don’t need to buy different sets of products for yourself, your partner and your kids.

The range of products is extensive and includes daily skincare, Evohe essence, body-hair care, treatments, eco tools and accessories (think recycled steel and bamboo) as well as the Evohe colours range or mineral makeup. What’s more they will soon be offering a spa range.

We have a bit of mutual love going on here, we love their products and business philosophy, and we want to share the love around. So we’ve got half a dozen Evohe trial packs to put out to our testing panel as we are keen to find out what you think.

Inside each pack you’ve got:

• Cleanse
• Mist
• Moisture 24/7
• Omega 369
• Silica mask
• Exfoliate
• Body mist
• Repair intensive
• Omega body
• Body polish
• And finally a trial size sample of their mineral make up.

So if you fancy a bit of sustainable luxury, email us back when you see our product panel call out email.

Ten years ago, Lindy McLeod was living abroad and while visiting France, admired the women of Paris rushing home in the evenings and on weekends with their fresh produce – fruit, breads, meats and cheeses – brimming in their seriously chic shopping baskets. She bought some for herself which rapidly became an indispensable part of her life because, as well as looking great, they proved to be extremely hardwearing and the handles were very strong and did not break.

After returning to Australia and realising how many plastic bags we use as a nation (at its peak over 7 billion annually!), Lindy began investigating the possibility of bringing a classic French-style shopping basket to Australia.

These baskets are genuine French-style market baskets imported from Morocco. Each one is handmade using traditional methods and techniques and so is unique. The baskets are made of strips of woven palm leaves from a species of date palm. These strips are then sewn together and the basket built up in “rounds” into the traditional triangle shape, variations of which can be found in countries all around the Mediterranean. The more rounds the bigger the basket! The handles are of genuine Moroccan leather and firmly fixed to the baskets so they never pull off. Handles are either short so the baskets can be carried in the hand or on the elbow, or longer to go over the shoulder.

Great for shopping, picnics, beach bags, gift hampers, use them for weekends away or they also make great presents.

For more information visit The Market Basket Co.

A key concern is the cost of going green. Everyone knows that creating a sustainable home will lead to long term cost savings (we are talking pocket here as well as environment). But this has to be weighed up against how long you will live in the house and how much the bank manager will lend you. I’ve been doodling some ideas for weeks now, and its time to get serious. So I took myself off to the Sydney Home Show for some eco-renovation inspiration.

Skipping past the spas and saunas I headed for the Green Building section. I’ve got a vague idea of what I need to be thinking about so after an initial sweep I honed in on the double glazing, solar hot water, photovoltaics, water tanks and heating.

I had been keen to find out more about eco-friendly flooring. There were a few stalls with bamboo and jute carpets, but no cork tiles. Everything you read says cork tiles are a very eco friendly flooring option, but I wanted to see them first hand, not least to see whether they have moved on from the shiny 80s style bathroom floors I remember from my childhood.

The home show was certainly a good way to see lots of different green building ideas in one place. I had a chat to someone about insulated awnings. I worked out the size of the water tank I need and got some great advice in relation to energy efficiency in the home. It also got me thinking about ‘future proofing’ the home by incorporating ’smart wiring’, particularly as I will be working a fair bit from home.

However, one of the most important things that wasn’t covered a great deal in the home show was passive design to make the most of the environment for heating, cooling and shading. The Australian government’s passive design technical manual provides an excellent resource, but as we are going to be extending an existing building we are going to be a bit constrained by what’s already there.

So, the next stage is to take my ideas to an architect who knows a thing or two about environmental design, and thats what we’ll be doing in the coming months.

If you have any advice, you know of some eco friendly products/services you just can’t do without or if you have tales of your own eco renovation efforts we’d love to hear them. We found a great blog http://greentasreno.wordpress.com/ written by a couple doing an eco renovation in Tasmania, and there are a few case studies on the government site listed above that we’ll be studying for ideas.

It looks like its going to be an interesting journey. Any advice welcomed!!

We’ll keep you posted.

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