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Little Takas Nappies Review

admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:57:30 +0000

The latest trial results are in. The Little Takas testing panel have been scrutinising these little gems for the past couple of months. All panel members stated that they would use these nappies again and recommend them to friends. The main points of difference with these nappies was the soft texture and fit, particularly around the legs. So if you are interested in these eco disposable nappies check out what the testers had to say about Little Takas.

If you want to grab yourself some they can be found at the following stores:

o Online at www.littletakas.com

o Baby Kingdom stores in NSW and online nationally at www.babykingdom.com.au

o Progressive Supa IGA stores in Western Australia.

o Farmer Jacks Foodworks stores in Western Australia.

o Drakes Supermarkets in South Australia and Queensland

o Foodland supermarkets in South Australia

o IGA supermarkets Nationally

o Romeos chain of IGA and foodland stores

o SA commercial group

Eco Friendly Halloween

admin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 04:01:14 +0000

Halloween as a kid was very exciting. Dressing up in scary costumes, staying up late, making lanterns, and gorging on the haul of treats collected. Living in a neighbourhood full of kids its obligatory to get involved again. The shops are full of cheap plastic masks, costumes and accessories at this time of year. But there are great ways of creating a truly green halloween (and also staying on track with the Salvos ‘Buy Nothing New Month’).

We’ve been putting our heads together to come up with ideas on how to have an eco-friendly halloween and to finish off October having bought nothing new. Here’s the summary.

Forget plastic lanterns, go for the real deal and carve up a pumpkin lantern or if you can find a big enough one use a more traditional swede or turnip. Use the pumpkin to make pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup and the lamp can go in the compost bin afterwards.
For costumes rent them or get creative with stitching or scissoring. Use an old sheet or reassign some old clothes.
The parents will love you for it but the kids might not – giving fruit as the treat instead of chocolate and sweets. This will avoid wrappers and waste. Or make some ghoulish cup cakes, or toffee apples to hand out when the hoards come trick or treating.
Put some candles on the porch or verandah instead of leaving the outside lights on.
Give the kids recyclable bags to carry their haul.

Great halloween games for the kids:

As well as the typical party games, limbo, pass the parcel, hula hoop, musical statues etc try these.

Ghastly lucky dip. Put potato peel or something similar in a bucket along with some items/prizes and get the kids to delve their hands into it to find them.

Apple bobbing. A bowl full of water with apples bobbing around in them. Kids have to try and take bites out of the apples without using their hands. Or apples hanging on a string, again you have to try and eat the apples which are dangled in front of you without using your hands.

Eco Renovation – Tentative First Steps

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:52:26 +0000

It has long been a dream to get stuck into an eco-renovation. In reality it’s a bit mind boggling especially when you have no experience of design, building or architecture.

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.

Eco Beauty Product Trial – Haircare

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 02:07:37 +0000

With all the marketing its difficult to determine exactly how natural some ‘natural’ beauty products really are. And how do you rationalise the environmental costs associated with transporting these ‘natural’ or ‘eco’ products vast distances? Balancing performance with environmental credentials is not easy. That is why Unico hair products are unique. As well as containing natural ingredients, these products are Australian made and owned, and have been designed with the unique requirements of our harsh Australian climate in mind.

Well, here at Green Beings we are keen to find out more in our quest for eco-friendly beauty. We’ve got a selection of Unico’s shampoos and conditioners for our panel to try out. I know, its a tough job, but I’ve already put my hand up for it…..

The Unico haircare range has been developed by professional hairdresser Sofia Basille. Sofia has 22 years in the business and owns a small thriving chain of award winning hair salons in Melbourne. Tired of using overly commercialised international products, she saw there was a gap in the market for a homegrown, eco-friendly professional haircare range that actually worked. She wanted a product that was locally made, high performing for the Australian climate and based on a solid foundation of pure plant ingredients, vitamins and essential oils. The range she developed ticks all these boxes and is also free from ingredients such as parabens and sodium lauryl sulphate. All products are packaged in recyclable bottles, which you can get refilled at a 10% discount at any of the Unico salons.

There are 11 products in the Unico Haircare range. We’ve got our hands on a selection of the shampoos and conditioners.

Shampoo and conditioners, RRP $21 (available in maintenance, volumising, sensitive and intensive formulations)
Protein treatment, RRP $28
Hair serum, RRP $23
Leave in spray-on conditioner, RRP $23

We’ll be pampering ourselves with this salon range of shampoos and conditioners for the next few weeks and reporting back.

Aveeno Trial Panel Feedback

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:12:37 +0000

I was so excited to be chosen to take part in the Aveeno trial! This trial came at the perfect time for me, as I am currently going through the process “greening” my life and home, including my skincare routine, so I was keen to try the Aveeno Active Naturals range.

Firstly, receiving the trial pack was fabulous! There was so much more than I had expected, and the mini sample-sized bottles were great for handing out to friends and family. I kept one for slipping in my handbag and it’s great for a quick, fast-absorbing moisturise on the run! I love that I can throw some of the Daily Moisturising Lotion on at a red light and my hands aren’t too greasy for the steering wheel by the time the light changes! This is also really handy with an active toddler, as my hands always need to be ready to catch her when she falls, pick her up when I miss, and dish out constant snacks to her growing little body! I’m washing my hands constantly throughout the day (after nappy changes, before preparing food, etc) and I was finding it difficult to keep my hands from drying out, but this product really seems to do the trick!

I have made the Daily Moisturising Lotion part of my regular routine now, and I love to apply it after a shower. It doesn’t take too long to be absorbed by my skin (meaning that I can get dressed sooner instead of wandering around in the nude, waiting for my moisturiser to soak in, as has happened in the past) and the soft, moisturised feeling really does last all day.

Unfortunately, with my sensitivity to SPF the Pure Radiance didn’t suit my skin. However, apart from my adverse reaction to the SPF in the product, I found it quite pleasant to use. The consistency was lovely and it seemed to soak into my skin really quickly. It was really easy to apply make-up over the top of it. I think it would be a great everyday moisturiser for someone with less sensitive skin.

Overall, I was quite pleased with the Aveeno products and I am keen to try out some more in the range. I noticed at Priceline the other day that they also make a baby skincare range, which I am also interested in trying, as I am always on the look-out for natural products to use on my daughter’s skin. I will probably buy the Daily Moisturising Lotion again when my bottle runs out, as I really enjoy using this product. It’s encouraging and refreshing to see a big company like Johnson’s taking consumers’ ecological concerns and environmental responsibility and sustainability seriously. I would still prefer to support smaller businesses when purchasing natural skincare, however I will be happy to buy Aveeno products when it’s convenient. I find I often choose where to shop based on my loyalty and reward program membership, so I usually purchase skincare from Priceline (Club Card) or Coles (Flybuys). So long as Aveeno is readily available from these retailers, it will consistently be among the products I consider when purchasing skincare.

Author: Amelia

Aveeno Trial Results

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:58:23 +0000

The Green Beings panel has just completed the two week trial of Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturising Lotion and Positively Radiant. Being a beauty product aimed at moisturising and evening skin tone, it requires you to spend some time in front of the mirror to try to see if it has benefited your skin. It means getting acquainted with new wrinkles, or as I prefer to call them ‘life experience features’. Anyway, we had some fantastic feedback from our pampered panel. So find out how they got on.

The vast majority of panelists loved the daily moisturising lotion, finding it the perfect solution for dehydrated and dry skin. Some members raved about its effects, with Amelia giving this testimonial.

I LOVED this product! It’s nice and light and easily absorbed into the skin. I love its light fragrance and found it really moisturising on my skin. It even gave me some temporary relief from my dermatitis! I’ll definitely buy this product in the future and I’m keeping one of the little sample-sized bottle to keep in my hand bag for hand and elbow moisturising on-the-go!

The Positively Radiant moisturiser suited some facial skin types more than others. Around half of the panel thought it was a good choice as part of their daily beauty routine, whilst it did not suit others as well. Emily in particular found the product was a great choice for her, providing the following testimonial.

I really like this product a lot. Not only does it leave my skin feeling soft and supple – it’s a real pleasure to put on! As you are applying you can feel that lovely radiance within the moisturiser. I would absolutely recommend it to my friends and I will buy it again.

We have bared all in our Aveeno product testing page. Overall the testing was a great success and the panelist did appreciate the environmental credentials and aims of the manufacturers.

Eco Innovators – Cushie Tushies

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:10:30 +0000

What is your product / service and why did you create it?

Cushie Tushies are modern cloth nappies – shaped like disposables for ease of use, but made from absorbent, durable fabrics to be re-used from birth to toilet training. We created this product because we wanted to use nappies on our firstborn sons that were environmentally friendly, saved us money and were gentle on our babies’ sensitive skin.

What challenges have you faced?
Ironically, for a product that is a new take on an old-fashioned concept, our biggest challenge has been keeping up with the incredible demand for our products. Being able to respond to that has meant finding access to funding and starting to mass-produce our nappies – both of which incur their own unique challenges in a world economy dominated by financial crisis!

What advice could you give others starting out?
Do your research about your product and industry – objectively – and make sure you plan thoroughly!

Where, if anywhere, did you find support?
From family mostly. Neither the business advisor or business banker I sought knew anything about nappies (of any kind). Fortunately I have a successful businessman in the family who has acted as a mentor.

Do you feel the government is doing enough to support the industry?

Not at all. There has been no support at all for our business – just brick walls at every avenue we turned for help! We have had to figure things out for ourselves at every step of the way!

National Vegetarian Week – Ness’s Diary

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:49:07 +0000

Author: Ness

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.

National Vegetarian Week – Duncan’s Diary

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:59:45 +0000

Author: Duncan

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???

Go Green Baby

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:50:07 +0000

I recently had a baby and made the decision to try and minimise the impacts of the new addition to the family. I knew nothing about babies and even less about what they needed, but after a whole three months of being a new parent I think I have finally got to grips with it. If you find yourself in the same boat I hope this might come in handy.

I had already decided I would go down the reusable and eco-disposable nappy route, but I was concerned about the impacts of having to consume so much stuff, so I made a decision not to set foot in a baby superstore. I’m happy to say I have everything I need and more. I did this by becoming an eBay addict, a garage sale browser, a serial swapper and a furniture rejuvenator (I painted stuff).

Here are my top recommendations for what you need to know to kit out your eco-baby.

Get the word out that you are expecting and the offers of second hand baby stuff will come flooding in. Babies get through clothes so quickly most people who have had their kids are keen to offload their old baby clothes. Most of the clothes passed on have been worn so little they are like new.
You need a cot. Check out garage sales and eBay. Be mindful that there are cot safety regulations regarding the spacing of bars. We picked ours up from a garage sale, scrubbed, sanded and painted it and it looks like new. You’ll need a new mattress.
Bassinet. This is not essential but handy if you aren’t sure where the newborn will be sleeping as it is portable. Check out eBay and garage sales. You’ll need a new mattress.
Buggy. If you are thinking of having more than one baby think about getting a ‘Phil and Teds’ as this has an option to add another seat so you will be able to adapt this buggy when a sibling comes along. The buggy is suitable from newborn upwards. Competition for these on eBay is quite fierce.
A baby carrier like a baby bjorn. We found this to be essential and were lent two in the end. Make your own or pick up a second hand one.
Baby rocker. This is handy but not essential. There are loads of these which can be picked up quite cheaply on eBay.
Baby capsule for the car. This is essential and there are safety regulations for these. Some prefer to buy new, but they can be hired or there are lots of second hand ones on eBay. Like the buggies there was a fair bit of competition for these. Check out garage sales and newspaper ads too. These should be professionally fitted – a google search should locate your nearest fitting station.
A play mat is pretty handy. Vinnies, eBay or garage sales are great for these. They are designed to be washed as babies are messy creatures. Put it in the washing machine and it comes out looking and smelling fresh.
Breast pump. Yes, pretty essential. eBay is great for this.
Drawers or wardrobe. Spruce up old or second hand items with a sand and varnish or paint.
Borrow stuff and if you see something that you’ll need as the baby grows, grab it and lend it out until you need it.
Check out second hand baby fairs like www.babykidsmarket.com.au
Make homemade baby wipes with pieces of cloth and water (you can add soap and essential oils like lavender) to avoid disposable wipes.

The only things I found that I bought from a shop were the towelling squares, plus snappy and plastic pants (pilchers), change mat, new mattresses and mattress protectors for the bassinet and cot (recommended for safety reasons), new sheets, bottle, teats and bottle brush, a couple of baby grows and some baby wraps.

This process might take a bit longer than filling up a trolley at the shops, but it is more interesting, fulfilling and cheaper. I’ve already got a batch of stuff that my daughter no longer needs and I can pass these on to a friend who has just announced she is expecting.

Product Review – Soapnuts Are A Natural Product But Are They A Natural Choice?

admin — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:22:42 +0000

Soapnuts are an eco-friendly alternative to conventional household cleaning products. They grow naturally in regions like the Indian subcontinent and have been used for generations by the people there. They are entirely free from chemicals but when introduced to water they create a natural soap.

A number of companies are now introducing Soapnuts to the Australian market as environmentally friendly alternatives to common cleaners. They are most commonly available either as whole dried shells or as ground shells in sachets, and can be used to tackle the following household cleaning tasks:

Laundry
In the dishwasher
General domestic cleaning (including floors, bathrooms, jewellery, cars, plants)
Shampoo / soap for humans and pets

But do they work? How well do they clean and how easy is it to switch from conventional cleaners?

To answer this question, we recruited a panel of Green Beings to put Soapnuts to the test.

Meet the Green Beings panel

Open-minded Celia and Martin do not consider themselves particularly ‘green’. Celia has sensitive skin and a number of allergies and also has some delicate clothes that she feels may benefit from gentler soaps
New parents Nicola and Adam are concerned about harsh chemicals affecting 6 month old Ava’s skin
Louise and John have a large family including three under fives and are actively seeking ways to minimise the family’s eco-footprint
Young couple Chantal and Dan feel they should do more to help the environment but are yet to be convinced that they can make much change to their busy lifestyles
Sporty newlyweds Lisa and Mick create piles of muddy and sweaty clothes and feel cleaning is a major way they can limit their environmental impacts

We gave each couple a box of the sachets and whole shells kindly provided by Green Orb for them to use over a period of a month. Here is their feed back:

Laundry

The experiences of the panel varied depending on how the Soapnuts were used. When used for laundry the biggest barrier for Chantal was that the clothes lacked the ‘clean clothes’ smell. The absence of perfume in this product was a common comment made by the panel when doing laundry. Celia felt that ‘clothes are more frequently washed to get rid of odour rather than because of dirt, we are used to using conventional washing powder with synthetic fragrance in them so we associate clean with that synthetic fragrance’. She got around the lack of smell by adding a few drops of essential oil (eucalyptus was her favourite), whilst Lisa added an eco-friendly fabric conditioner to the wash.

Adding an eco-friendly fabric conditioner to the wash also made clothes softer and more comparable with products with built in fabric softeners.

When put to the cleaning test on sweaty gym clothes, dirty baby clothes and muddy cycling gear, four out of the five couples found they gave satisfactory results and three out of five said they cleaned as well as conventional washing powders. Everyone felt the sachets were preferrable to the shells.

Dishwasher

Overall the sachets were found to work better than the shells in the dishwasher. Adding white vinegar was found to provide better results on loads with glass in them. Overall the panel felt that with a full or heavily-soiled load in your dishwasher, conventional detergent does a better job.

General cleaning

A soap solution can be made up using shells dissolved in water. When used for mopping floors and cleaning surfaces the results were good. But for best results the panel felt it was needed to make fresh batches regularly.

Overall our panellists enjoyed using Soapnuts and they felt good knowing they were minimising their environmental impacts. The main issues mentioned tended to be more around perception than actual capability. Firstly, that cleaning products should create a fresh perfume. Secondly, that Soapnuts needed to look more convincing as a cleaning product. As Lisa puts it, ‘the biggest challenge is many people will see the product and as it is so unconventional they will wonder how it can work’. Celia suggested that as people are used to using powder or liquid soaps, creating powder or liquid versions which could be poured into washing or soap dispensers would be more easily accepted.

If you want to give Soapnuts a try, search our database of providers in the product listings area and order directly online.

The results from individual panel members are provided in the table below.

	Results	Score
Celia & Martin
Laundry	The lack of smell made you think the clothes weren’t clean, but dirt and odour was removed. The sachets were preferable to the shells with good results on delicates. Results improved with addition of fabric softener. The shells gave the water a brown appearance which made you hesitant to use them in a white wash and although the whites came out clean we felt we may need to use a whitening agent to maintain bright whites. Essential oil added to give perfume to wash.	Shells 5/10 Sachets 7/10
Dishwasher	Sachets were used and the dishwasher put on hot or warm wash. The results were good. White vinegar was added to glass washes with good results.	Sachets 7/10
General	Soapnut liquid was made and used for cleaning surfaces. The results were good.	Shells 7/10
Soap/shampoo	Soapnuts used in the bath dried my skin.	Shells 5/10
Nic & Adam
Laundry	We always soak stained baby clothes in napisan first. The shells were not found to be as good as the sachets and whilst results were satisfactory we preferred our normal detergent. The lack of smell was an issue.	Shells 5/10 Sachets 6.5/10
Dishwasher	The shells were preferred to the sachets for dishwashing. However, food residue was left on cutlery which meant they needed to be rewashed.	Shells 6/10 Sachets 5/10
General	Not attempted
Soap/shampoo	Not attempted
Louise & John
Laundry	Both shells and sachets used with good results. The lack of smell was an issue for some members of the family. The sachets were preferred to the shells which came out of the bag during the wash on occasions.	Shells 5/10 Sachets 8/10
Dishwasher	Shells used and results were very good to begin with. Over time they didn’t appear to rinse well even with rinse aid. Sachets were not used as we have a dish drawer which doesn’t require as much powder as normal dishwashers.	Shells 6/10
General	Shells boiled to create soap which was used to mop the floors. This worked well and removed greasy smears from the floor.	Shells 7/10
Soap/shampoo	Shells were boiled to create a liquid soap. The soap seemed to work fine but children didn’t like the lack of smell. If I added essential oils to make it smell nice it resulted in no bubbles, which was not popular with the children. When used as a bubble bath, it made lots of bubbles, over time it didn’t make many bubbles. The lack of smell was not popular with the children. Washing up liquid seemed to work well even on greasy plates and pans. I did notice that as the boiled liquid got older the less good it was at removing the grease. Over a period of a month it was not really working towards the end. As such regular batches would need to be made. As shampoo it seemed okay on the children but I tried it myself and felt it made my hair look greasy.	Shells 7/10
Chantal & Dan
Laundry	Results with the sachet were fair. Clothes seemed fairly clean but the lack of a smell was a problem. The results with the shells were disappointing.	Shells 0/10 Sachets 5/10
Dishwasher	Not attempted
General	Not attempted
Soap/shampoo	Not attempted
Lisa & Mick
Laundry	Sachet used in cold water on smelly gym clothes. Could not tell the difference from conventional products, however, the lack of smell made was a problem for Mick. Eco friendly fabric softener was added on subsequent washes and this got rid of the problem. Shells were used in cold water on very muddy clothes. The clothes came out just as clean as with conventional products. Both the sachets and shells can be chucked straight in the compost.	Shells 6/10 Sachets 8/10
Dishwasher	Not attempted
General	Not attempted
Soap/shampoo	Not attempted

What on Earth is Compacting?

admin — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:14:40 +0000

My first significant moment in making an effort to join the environmental brigade involved a shower curtain, a bucket, some hot soapy water and a bit of bleach. Very glamorous. However, the feeling I got from hanging up a good as new shower curtain, instead of rushing down to Ikea to buy a new one, was a totally alien. What a fantastic sensation of pride. It’s very simple.

Not only had I managed to save money, and my old shower curtain – I had done something positive, resulting in me taking a small step away from consumerism. This trend in moving away from consumerism, being more aware of what we are wasting and how we can recycle and re-use has been growing rapidly over the past few years.

On 1^st January 2006 a group of ten San Franciscan friends made a pact with each other not to purchase anything new for one calendar year. This group of radicals had a mission - “to flee the consumer grid”. The rules were simple, barter, borrow, or buy second hand for one year – excluding food, drink and health and safety necessities. What they could buy did include toilet paper and underwear, but did not include any luxuries – even to do up the house. They called themselves “the Compact” after the Mayflower Compact, a social contract drawn up in 1620 by Pilgrims wanting to build their own city on a hill which would later become a beacon in society. They accidentally started what is known now as the Compacting Movement.

“We’re not out to be environmental martyrs. We’re just a group of folks looking to consciously reduce our consumption and keep trash out of the landfills” says Rachel Kesel, one of the ten in the original compact. Even 18 months after the day the deal was done – Rachel still finds it hard to buy things, and deliberates for hours over whether she really needs the item or not.

Since the start of the compact in 2006 – word has spread around the world and it now has over 9,000 in its community. It has even reached a 13 year old school girl from Toronto who even slated the mass amount of e-waste we produce, describing Facebook as “another man made weapon of mass destruction”.

How would I fare doing this I wondered ? Could I do without anything new either for myself or my home for a year? I am a self confessed lover of shoes, haute couture and interior design.

Being an interior stylist, I am always on the look out for gorgeous additions to my home, but in the last year I have begun to look at it very differently. I am by no means a full blown member of the “Compact”, but I have started to ask myself, could I do this for six months? A month even?

We take it for granted that we can buy whatever we want on a daily basis. I certainly do. Since the massive environmental and green living movement that has erupted over the past few years, there are several publications such as daily papers and weekend magazines urging us not to over consume, and not to waste as much as we have been…… things will eventually run out… land fills will eventually all be full.

Looking at the way we have treated the environment over the past decade in Australia shows substantial evidence of change. For example, between 1997 and 2003 the tonnes of waste to landfill decreased by 19% and the amount of waste that was recycled has increased by 825%.

However, even though these statistics show we are more aware or re-cycling and keeping waste out of landfills, surprisingly enough, waste generation per person is increasing by 0.3% pa - so even though we are recycling, we are still generating more waste.

We can begin to tackle this problem in very simple ways. Asking ourselves, do I really need this? Or, is this really not fixable? It really is a most rewarding way to live.

If you are still keen to buy things for your home and to suit your lifestyle, there are now more sustainable options such as BIRD in Surry Hills, a homewares and textiles shop whereby everything is designed and produced with sustainable living in mind.

There are tonnes of opportunities if you don’t want to go as far as “compacting” just yet. If you are keen to go down the second hand route – then markets in and around Sydney, and even all over NSW are a great option. Windsor, Surry Hills and Rozelle are particular favourites for a bit of bric a brac. Mitchell Road Auction House in Alexandria is an absolute haven for those who like to forage.

It has become a fun project for me to continue improving the interior style of my home – but by reinventing old pieces of furniture either from markets, garage sales or on the street. If you take a really long time to source something that has been pre-loved, and you consider how much you really need it, you will appreciate it all the more once you get it home. Believe me, my home is full of much loved, unique one off pieces.

So think of it like this, create some space around you, think about what you surround yourself with and in doing this, you are developing your own sense of sustainable style.

Ten Tips For The Home Compactor

Re cover an old couch instead of buying a new one. Fabrics and throws tied in with tasteful cushions need not look like student accommodation. Think Morcoccan or Indian Chic!
If your shower curtain is looking a little old and mouldy – take it down and scrub it with hot soapy water and bleach for more stubborn stains.
Instead of buying plastic storage containers – use large glass juice jars with the tops tastefully painted to store nuts, grains pasta etc. They make a great impact on display.
Keep a bucket in the shower so you can re-use excess water – “grey water” can be used for watering plants, washing floors and other such household duties.
Always hang your re-useable shopping bags by the door - so you don’t forget them when you go out shopping it’s one of the most common shopping mistakes.
When buying fruit and vegetables – simply place them directly in your shopping basket in groups – there is no need to have a separate bag for each item.
Buy a worm farm.
Feed your dog on leftovers and scraps of food that build up throughout the day throw away nothing!
Go back to using hand soap – at basins and in the shower. Plastic dispenser bottles are not only wasteful they also look unattractive. A lovely Japanese or other ceramic dish creates a lovely piece in any bathroom.
Shop at markets and second hand stores, make a day of it to go to an out of town market with friends and family – and you can save money in more ways than one.