Just how free are free range chickens? Well, now you can see for yourself. For fans of reality TV, SunnyQueen has a surprise in store… now you can watch the chooks from Sunny Queen’s Free Range farms living the good life – live and unedited. Talk about compulsive viewing!

“We want our customers to see first-hand the life led by the happy, healthy hens who produce our free range eggs,” Julie Proctor from Sunny Queen said.

“Until now, some free range egg customers have been unsure about what “free range” means. We can’t speak for all Free Range but we’re proud of our Sunny Queen Free Range Farms, and what better way to show off our pampered chooks than to give everyone a bird’s eye view with our new, live action webcam.

“It’s no wonder our hens think they’re something special – they are!”

From Thursday 28th April, Sunny Queen is encouraging all their free range egg customers to get an eye full of their frolicking free range hens via their live Eggcam at: www.sunnyqueen.com.au/eggcam

“The live EggCam has been set up so people can see everything that the girls get up to when they are out and about – from the moment they hit the paddock and  start foraging until they’re brought back into the barn at dusk to get their beauty sleep.”

“We cater to their every whim, open fields by day, great food and service, nests to lay their eggs in, plus warm, safe barns to rest in at night. Our girls are truly happy, contented hens who live and eat well,” Julie said. “And now our customers can see that for themselves.”

No editing. No special effects. Just a camera constantly filming the pasture during daylight hours, showing the hens as they go about their day.

To help try to make the choice easier, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (ACMS) has developed Australia’s Sustainble Seafood Guide – which can be searched readily online.

I’m glad to see that BBQ favourites calamari, octopus, scallop (farmed), Australian salmon (wild) are considered to be a ‘better choice’. Species such as wild barramundi are considered a ‘think twice’ choice as there are uncertainties over the size of the stock and there are stock depletions in many areas. Bugs, including Balmain, Moreton bay and various deepwater bugs are also considered a ‘think twice’ choice. As most are trawl caught there are environmental impacts associated with bycatch and potential habitat damage. There are also uncertainties about the stock status which is considered fully fished in NSW. The deepwater bugs are also relatively long lived which increases their vulnerability to fishing.

It also recommends that you think twice about sticking a prawn on the barbie (along with crayfish, dory, flathead and lobster). As banana and tiger prawns are farmed in ponds and tanks there is the potential for significant impacts from these farms on local water quality. What makes the impact greater is the fact that the prawns are fed fishmeal sourced from wild fisheries. A better choice are haul caught school and bay prawns in NSW.

Considered a definite ’steer clear’ are species such as wild hoki, cods and gropers, imported farmed prawns*, orange roughy*, atlantic farmed salmon*, wild scallop, hake, wild snapper, swordfish* and of course shark* and tuna* (skipjack is a better choice).

For those who want to add a bit of meat to the barbie there is now much more choice when it comes to free range. Better to buy direct from the butcher to reduce the amount of plastic packaging.

* these fish also appear on Greenpeace’s seafood redlist

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.

Its a subject close to my heart – chocolate. Over the years I have become a chocolate devotee. Dinner isn’t complete if it isn’t rounded off with a couple of squares of the dark stuff. But there can be a dark side to chocolate, excuse the pun.

I’ve made it my mission to investigate the impacts of chocolate, and while eating chocolate might take a toll on the waistline, there are a number of choices you can make to ensure your conscience isn’t weighed down.

More on the darks side of chocolate:

• According to Stopthetraffic.org over a third of the world’s cocoa comes from Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa, where cocoa production uses child and forced labour. Buy Fairtrade to avoid this.

• Many brands of chocolate contain palm oil. This may be labelled ‘vegetable oil’ but its the same thing. Clearing of rainforest for palm oil production in Indonesia threatens the survival of species such as the orangutan. Look at the ingredients or buy products you know have no palm oil.

• Many of the pesticides used in cocoa production has been banned in Australia. To avoid, go organic.

• About 70% of the world’s cocoa is grown in West Africa, with the majority being grown on small family plots. A fall in price of raw cocoa, despite an increase in chocolate sales over recent years, has forced small farmers to cut labour costs. To ensure farmers receive a fair price buy Fairtrade.

There are several brands which get the tick in terms of being environmentally and socially sustainable. We’ve researched the best sustainable choco and where to buy them. Although I am on a personal mission to test these chocolates I foundhttp://www.thechocolatereview.net/ helpful for getting the low down on taste.

Scarborough Fair was launched by New Zealand based company Lighthouse Ventures in 2004. 100% Fairtrade cocoa is imported from Peru and sugar from growers in Paraguay. The chocolates are made in New Zealand. They have just released a new range of 70% cocoa chocolates. They also have a range of Fairtrade tea, coffee and easter eggs.

Cadbury – Cadbury Dairy Milk went FairTrade in 2010 so the big brands realise how important it is to share the chocolate love. Fairtrade cocoa farmers in Ghana will benefit from the security of having a fair minimum price for their produce and additional investment for social, environmental and economic development in their communities, including new wells, schools and mobile medical facilities. The international partner certification body FLO-Cert, will independently monitor and audit the supply chain to ensure it meets internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.

Green and Blacks are a subsidiary of Cadburys. Originally organic chocolate makers, they have pledged to switch the entire range of food and drinks to Fairtrade by the end of 2011. The funding received by farmers through the Fairtrade premium will be spent on initiatives to improve quality, yields and education which will in turn increase the income for the farmers and help ensure the sustainability of the Dominican Republic cocoa industy. Green and Black’s has purchased Trinitario cocoa beans from cooperatives in the Dominican Republic for the past 10 years.

Alter Eco produces chocolate, sugar, rice and quinoa.All the products are cultivated using sustainable farming methods, use natural fertilisers and are Fairtrade.

Chocolatier Australia is a Melbourne based family owned company specialising in truffles, pralines and chocolate novelties. Some of their range is Fairtrade. For more information visit their website.

Endangered Species Chocolate. Based in the US this company buys cocoa from family-owned properties grown in the shade of rich diverse forests to help support sustainable forest farmland and the species within. The wrappers features endangered species to help raise awareness of disappearing plant and animal species. 10% of their net profits are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity.

Oxfam have a large range of Fairtrade chocolate that can be bought online or in their stores.

Cocola uses Organic Fairtrade cocoa and is made with unrefined, evaporated cane juice from AlterTrade in the Phillipines. Made in Switzerland the cocoa used in Cocola is produced in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Its available in health food and Fairtrade stores as well as Coles supermarket.

You can buy Green and Blacks at Coles, Bi-Lo, Woolworths, Safeway, Oxfam and David Jones. Oxfam also sells Alter Eco, Endangered Species, Oxfam brand, whilst Target and starbucks sells Chocolatier. Scarborough Fair is sold at Woolworths/Safeway.

]]> http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/index.php/2010/07/23/choosing-your-chocolate/feed/ 0 http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/index.php/2010/04/12/choosing-sustainable-tuna/ http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/index.php/2010/04/12/choosing-sustainable-tuna/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:56:47 +0000 admin http://greenbeings.com.au/greenroom/?p=557 It’s not easy to tell if the tuna you are eating comes from overfished stocks or is caught using destructive fishing techniques. As tuna stocks begin to collapse, selecting sustainably fished tuna is vital. GreenPeace has prepared a ‘canned tuna guide’ to show us what to look for before heading to the checkout.]]> It’s not easy to tell if the tuna you are eating comes from overfished stocks or is caught using destructive fishing techniques.  As tuna stocks begin to collapse, selecting sustainably fished tuna is vital. GreenPeace has prepared a ‘canned tuna guide’ to show us what to look for before heading to the checkout.

Over half the world’s tuna comes from the pacific. Of the seven species of tuna in the Pacific, six are over exploited. Stocks of Southern Bluefin tuna have collapsed, and Bigeye, Yellowfin and Albacore tuna are overfished.

Industrial fishing methods mean that tuna is scooped up using huge purse seine nets, or caught on baited fishing lines which can be as long as 100km. Both these methods result in a significant bycatch of around 10% and 35%. The bycatch includes turtles and sharks as well as juvenile tuna.

Skipjack is the only healthy tuna species left in the Pacific. It is considered sustainable if it is caught using selective fishing methods. When Skipjack is caught using pole and line or troll fishing, from healthy stocks along coastal states it is considered both fair and sustainable.

No Australian tuna brand uses sustainable tuna. Even the top brands use destructive fishing techniques. GreenPeace is leading the fight to urge supermarkets to switch to sustainably caught Skipjack tuna.

GreenPeace’s guide ranks the typical canned tuna brands in terms of their sustainability and recommends a number of actions to enable us to make informed decisions about the fish we eat.  In order to do this we must be able to see what it is we are buying. Therefore labelling should show:

• The species in the can (e.g. skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis)
• The area where the catch came from and the name of the stock
•  The production method and fishing technique (e.g. wild caught, purse seine net with fish aggregating device)

Waitrose, Sainsburys and Marks and Spencers in the UK have all moved to pole and line caught tuna. It’s time to do it in Australia.

According to the KeepCup website the disposable paper cup is made from various materials including bleached paper sprayed with a polyethylene coating. The cup is often impregnated with dyes which makes it difficult to recycle.

In the first six months, since the launch in June 2009, KeepCup has sold over 100,000 units. According to Bluebag, the makers of KeepCup, if everybody who owns a KeepCup uses it regularly, there would be 100 million less disposable cups used, saving 17,000 trees and keeping 307 tonnes of plastic lids from landfill.

The KeepCup is recyclable (it has an estimated lifespan of four years) and replicates disposable cup sizes so you get the correct and consistent portioning of coffee and milk. Small and medium cups fit directly under the coffee machine. The plastic used is BPA free and the lid means less likelihood of spillage.

Designed and manufactured in Australia, the key features which make the KeepCup so functional include:

• A band around the body of the cup where coffee preferences are embossed. Highlight this to prevent mix up and to identify your cup at the machine.
• A sealing mechanism to make the cup splash-proof in transit. This is removable so it is easy to clean.
• Stackable, dishwasher safe and microwavable.
• Low embodied energy, reuseable, unbreakable and recyclable (polypropylene)

The KeepCup can be branded which makes it great company merchandise and a great gift for the afflicted addicted coffee cravers.

According to recent research, food and drinks contained in plastic containers or bottles can contain trace amounts of bisphenol A (BPA). Scientists have found that, in animals, BPA mimics the hormone oestrogen and has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage and decreased testosterone levels. It is also believed that BPA can cause early puberty in children, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  The amounts leaching into food and drink are small, but it is the cumulative effect of these small doses that are of concern.

What is BPA?

BPA is an industrial chemical used for production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are high performance transparent, rigid plastic used for food containers such as most transparent drinks bottles, infant feeding (baby) bottles, tableware (plates and mugs) and storage containers.

Epoxy resins are used to make protective coatings and linings for food and beverage cans and vats.

How do you know what has BPA in?

On the bottom of plastic containers there is generally a mobius loop symbol with the number 1 to 7 inside. For details of what is in each category check out our waste essentials article.

Current advice is, if you are concerned about BPA then to avoid category 3, 6 and 7 unless it specifically states on a separate label that the product is BPA free. A number of products labelled BPA free are in Category 7. This is a catch all for several different types of plastic including those that contain BPA as well as those that don’t.

Disposable drinks bottles

Like many people I regularly reuse water bottles. These are typically in the category 1 plastics (P.E.T). There is no BPA in PET bottles. These water bottles are designed to be recycled after use. However, reuse of these bottles is safe providing they are washed well.

Baby bottles

BPA has been banned from use in products for babies in Canada and many US states due to the health concerns. Many baby bottles will contain BPA unless it is specifically stated on the packaging that they are BPA free. This includes the major brands. However manufacturers such as Avent, Tommee Tippee and Pigeon have brought out BPA free alternatives. Although this is not always mentioned on the product itself so look for it on the packaging when you buy it.

How to reduce your exposure

• At your desk drink out of glass instead of clear plastic cups and bottles.
• Get hold of a BPA free plastic or metal drink bottle and refill from the tap.
• Buy from your local greengrocer and butcher. This way you can buy fresh and avoid products which have sat around in plastic packaging.
• Packaging with a category 2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a category 4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a category 5 PP (polypropylene), labels contain no BPA.
• Choose fresh or frozen food over tinned foods and food in polycarbonate containers.
• Don’t use polycarbonate plastics for warm food or drinks.
• If using baby formula, avoid liquid formula in cans. Powdered formula is better in terms of BPA exposure.

The range of commercial baby food you can get these days is extensive. Organic savoury or sweet options are available in jars and now in the freezer section. The packaging is generally recyclable. But how do the environmental impacts of commercial baby food stack up against home made?

Looking at the lifecycle steps of commercial and home made baby food, the energy required for creation of the commercial food is likely to be more due to the more complex transport and packaging requirements. Cooking up home made recipes in bulk works well as it reduces the chef’s work load as well as energy and washing up.

Commercial baby food can be great when you run out of time or when you are out and about. Preservatives, colours and flavours won’t be found in baby food for children under 12 months, but ascorbic acid is often added to make up for nutrient losses during processing.  An article by Choice magazine notes that the more processed the food is (ie jars and cans which are heat treated) the less heat sensitive vitamins are retained. The brands Baby boost; Organix; Little tummy tucker; and Motherly came out on top when describing exactly what ingredients they contain.

So for the time being I’m going to inflict my home made baby recipes on my daughter. The next decision I need to make is whether she goes veggie or whether she eats meat like her dad. If so the meat will of course be free range. Don’t get me started on animal welfare…..

If you need some ideas of what to cook and puree here are some useful sites:

Recipe ideas – Home made baby recipes

How to cook baby food – kidspot

What not to feed the baby – kidspot

Pre-vego week excesses
Ok, so I’m feeling slightly guilty about re-scheduling my vego week… all for an unrestricted dining and shopping spree with visiting li’l sis.
All that wining and dining has actually worked to my advantage, as I began this week seriously craving veggies!
It’s all about preparation!

I spent a significant amount of time trawling through my cookbooks for veggie-inspirations and to plan our week of meals. One of my favs – Nigella Express has a total of 2 vego mains – let’s just say, I had post-it notes in all of them!
While very conscious of keeping a balanced diet and substituting the protein we usually get from meat, it was harder than I thought!

Next, the shopping… OMG, my bags were heavy, and expensive! Alright, I admit to splurging on healthy gourmet & justifying it as I went – due to my hardship, obviously? Oh, boo hoo! Hardly! We’re in for loads of tasty treats, and my hubby even looked excited at the mountain of food I bought, and the prospect of a week of new dishes. Hmmm, I didn’t actually ask him to do this challenge with me…

Reformed carnivores…!?
So, this may turn out to be a diary of 2 reformed carnivores…. Although, perhaps I speak too soon…

SECOND INSTALLMENT – THE VEGGIE WEEK VERDICT
Menu successes… and failures…
Mexican scrambled eggs were a definite winner! Hubby liked them so much he requested them for breakfast as well as dinner. Although it does appear that Nigella Lawson has got her quantities wrong – served as dinner there was not enough, and as breakfast too much. I wasn’t as keen on chili in my breaky, nor onions for that matter but hey, made a good vego meal either way.
Busy week meant I was needing Jon to start dinner… let’s just say, I saved very little time, while on the phone explaining the new and not pre-prepared meals (he’s great with a curry paste in hand, to be fair!).
Oooops! BBQ blunder
Day 6, all well so far, and then, just on the home stretch I slip up, big time! Chatting away at a BBQ, as I am inclined to do, I lean in for the nibbles plate and pop something in my mouth… Literally, minutes later I gasp “ohhhhh, I just ate Prosciutto! And I’m supposed to be vegetarian!!! ”.
Day 7’s hangover was a lot to bear without bacon and eggs, I must say!
Aside for the little slip up (how much energy went into that highly cured meat?), I am feeling good that we must have reduced our footprint at least for this week.  Not sure about the outlandish “reformed carnivore” claim, although I have discovered new recipes, which will help incorporate at least 1-2 nights vego each week I think.

We’ve just had visitors staying with us from overseas. Obviously we wanted them to experience the full Aussie lifestyle, so the barbecue has been blazing away for a fortnight with a full farm of sausages and hamburgers washed down with plenty of Shiraz. I think I am more than ready to give up meat for just one, little week!

Day one.

Breakfast passes without incident. This will be the case until Saturday and Sunday when a combination of time, coffee and newspapers conspires to make bacon and eggs unavoidable.

At lunch I am in the supermarket. Lost. I pass the deli counter and go… where? What does a vegetarian put in a sandwich? Surely not just cheese? I rule out sandwiches for the week and settle on a jacket potato with a filling that (probably cheating) I find in the convenience section.

I am home from work to pea and halloumi fritters made by my lovely wife. I‘ll get her to share the recipe on this site; they’re great. She knows I like them and, seeing as she made me do this veggie week, I think she has made them to lessen the blow.

Day two.

Breakfast, tick (no time to fry). Lunch… here we go again. Surely not another potato? I am already bored of that. I head to the bakery and find a small vegetarian pizza. Very nice and no effort required.

Evening meal is another piece of motivation from my champion vegetarian wife. A chunky omelette with mushrooms and cheese (and imaginary ham).

Day three.

Toast, coffee, walk the dog. Still not experiencing any detrimental side-effects. Not feeling anything in fact. Should I be? But I am getting into the swing of this. I have mentioned vegetarian week to people at work and amid pitying looks and jokes about carrot sandwiches I am unearthing closet veggies offering recipes worth trying.

Lunch is a sandwich packed with beetroot, eggplant, swiss cheese and, yes, carrot! Its actually very nice and surprisingly filling.

More evening bribery. There’s no meat in the fridge so I eat what I am given – a vegetarian stir-fry. I avoid the tofu. Not ready for that.

Now, whats in store for day four???

lazy vegetable patch

Author: Julie

Lazy vegetable gardening

Lately it seems like everyone is starting to grow their own vegetables at home. It’s a good way to guarantee you’re getting local, organic food, and can be a really rewarding hobby.

You’ve probably seen the beautiful vegie patches on tv, with neatly ordered rows in sturdy planter boxes filling up nearly a whole backyard. They look great, but they also seem a little too time-consuming for someone with a busy life. Luckily, you don’t have to jump right into the deep end with vegetable gardening: you can get started in just one afternoon.

My husband and I have got a lovely little vegie patch, but we were far too slack to set up something like you see on tv. Plus, we didn’t even know if we would like gardening, or be any good at it. Here’s how we got started in 6 easy steps.

1. Set up a spot for your vegie garden
Pick a place you can get started in. It could be anywhere from 3 feet square to several metres, should get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day, and be easy to water. We pulled out a shrub we didn’t like that was close to one of our sprinklers and decided that was good enough to start with. A big rectangular pot near your outside tap is just as good.

2. Pick the vegies you want
There are so many vegetables you could be growing that it might seem hard to choose, but there’s an easy method: pick your favourites! What do your kids like, or what do you remember tasting better when you were a kid? Pick two or three to start with – don’t try to supply all your household needs at first. We decided on tomatoes, basil and beetroot for our test-run.

3. Gather your supplies and prepare the soil
Pretty much every garden centre has got seeds for sale, but I like the Diggers Club range too. If you’ve already got a compost bin, you’re in luck, otherwise you’ll need to buy some. If you’re using a big pot then you’ll want some potting mix as well. You’ll also need a bit of mulch: you can buy this, or make your own from garden prunings. If you’ve got some gardening friends, ask them if they’ve got any leftovers or spare supplies to get you started.

4. Get planting!
Follow the directions on the seed packets. If you’ve got some saved seeds from friends, a good average is to plant them a centimetre or two deep, about 15 cm apart. Water them in a little bit, then put mulch around them to stop weeds from popping up. It should only take 10 minutes to get them sorted out.

5. Mark on the calendar when you can expect to harvest
The first four steps above can be done in one afternoon, but now we get to the time-consuming part: waiting for your vegies to grow. Seed packets usually tell you when you can expect to get some produce. Write it down so you don’t forget to check on your plants!

6. Maintenance
Once every couple of days (when you’re watering, if doing that by hand) take 5 minutes to look over your seedlings. Check for bugs, snails and weeds. Pick off the bugs and snails, pluck the weeds out before they get too big. We generally stop hand-weeding when the vegetable plants are bigger than the weeds – usually the plants will outcrowd them if given a chance to get established.

Optional extras

Plant some tansy to attract ladybirds, who will eat any tiny bugs trying to snack on your vegetables.
Make a beer trap for snails and slaters – pop a jar in the ground with a bit of beer in it. The little ctters will jump in for the beer and not be able to get out, at which point you can collect them and dispose of them.

As you can see, it really doesn’t take long to get started with your own vegetable garden. In our first year, our beetroot didn’t work out so well, but we got tons of cherry tomatoes and lots of fresh basil.

We enjoy it so much that this year we’ve dug up some lawn and gotten one of those fancy planters – but we started with a sandy spot and three packets of seeds. Why not give it a go, just to see if you like it?