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Ecosia: Searching for a better future
One million trees for Brazil After taking it's time to reach the mainstream media it's now well known that the Amazon rainforest is burning at a record rate. Sitting in our homes far from the Amazon many of us are asking "what can we do?" One action we can take is to search online, become more informed about the how and why of the situation. While heading to Google to conduct these searches is great, the way to make a difference is make the switch to Ecosia. Ecosia is a search engine that donates at least 80 % of its profits from search ad revenue to planting trees. For every 40 to 50 online searches, using the Ecosia search browser, they plant a tree. Since forming the company back in 2009 they have raised over $3 million and planted over 30 million trees across the globe. Aside from helping the environment, Ecosia doesn't sell your data to advertisers, they do not store your searches, and all searches are securely encryped. If you’re wondering how you can help the Amazon rainforest, the answer is simple, make the switch to Ecosia. Simply add the free Chrome browser extension, open Ecosia, search for details about the Amazon fires (as well as other searches) and watch their tree count grow! In July this year, prior to the recent outrage over the fires raging in the Amazon Ecosia committed to planting 1 million additional trees in Brazil. Ecosia work in close connection with farmers in Brazil, teaching them about the benefits of maintaining a health forest, keeping soil fertile and spreading the word on how trees can be an alternative to soy production or cattle farming (soy and cattle farming are two commercial issues that are being blamed for the recent rise in fires in the Amazon). “With these additional one million trees in Brazil, we are setting a sign: another world is possible and we will not back down in our efforts to make it a reality”, says Ecosia CEO, Christian Kroll. For more information on the Ecosia search engine, or to start searching visit https://www.ecosia.org/
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Creating solutions from orange peel waste
What’s not to love about oranges? They’re high in Vitamin C making them great for your health. The oils from the peels are not only great for your skin and hair, they provide an uplifting scent and are effective at killing bacteria. If you’ve ever decided to skip the plastic and make your own fresh orange juice, you’ll know there’s a lot of waste left behind. So many orange peels! Many people believe that citrus peels should not be added to your compost. While it’s not recommended that you add an abundance of peels to your home compost, they can be safely added to in small amounts. It’s even been shown that adding orange peels in large amounts can be beneficial to soil. Discarded orange peels used to rebuild a Costa Rican forest Photo Credit: Newatlas.com In the late nineties ecologists Daniel Janzen and Winnie Halwachs undertook a scientific research project that would study the effects of dumping large amounts of orange pulp and peels onto a three-hectare stretch of former cattle pasture.[1] The land, located in Costa Rica, was covered with over 12,000 metric tons of oranges peels. The end goal — to achieve a perfect synergy between industry and conservation. Fifteen years later in 2013, a follow up study on the effects of orange peels on the land was conducted by a university graduate.[2] What he discovered was a forest that was completely overgrown with trees and vines. Not only that the area that was fertilised with orange waste had richer soil, more tree biomass, and greater forest canopy closure. Creating cleaning products from orange peels If you don’t have a big chunk of degraded land that you can dump tons of orange peels on then there are many of other ways you can use up those peels. Orange peels can be dehydrated, ground to a fine powder and used and many applications. They can be used for baking, used in salad dressings and even used in as a gentle exfoliator in soap! One popular way to extract the benefits of oils in orange peels is to soak them in vinegar for a few weeks, strain and use as an all-purpose kitchen spray. Citrus peels have also been used in India to not only manage waste from the fruit but also to provide a bio-toilet cleaning solution. Indian start-up ToWaSo (TOWArds SOlution), collected fruit waste from roadside juice vendors, and placed the citrus peels, water and microbes into large plastic drums.[3] After a few weeks the waste product became a suitable cleaning solution that was suitable to not only keep toilets clean but the floors and walls as well. DIY Orange Peel Bioplastic While soaking orange peels to extract their oils for use in kitchen sprays may sound like a perfect way to use up your peels, unfortunately there is still waste to deal with — the peels do not break down into the vinegar solution so you’ll still need to discard them. This brings us to the next fantastic way to not only combat orange waste, but also to conduct a basic science experiment. If you’re seeking out a fun, DIY plastic free science experiment to explore with the kids then we’ve got the project for you. Learn how you can create bioplastic from orange peels! Ingredients: 15 ml water 25 g citrus peel 50g cornstarch 2g sodium bicarbonate 5ml lemon juice 5ml sage oil 5ml vinegar You can find all the details and instructions in the video below: SPINNING ORANGE PEELS INTO FABRICS If you’re not the DIY type but love throwing your support behind zero waste ideas, then wearing orange peels may be more appealing to you. Italian fabric company Orange Fibre[4] put their spin on using citrus peel waste by turning it into a silk-like cellulose yarn. Taiwanese actress, model and sustainability influencer Chiling Lin made a sustainable fashion statement at the 2018 Global Change Awards ceremony, dressing in a gown made from Orange Fibre fabric.[5] The custom-made black and floral print dress was designed by Chatarina Forseth, a H&M concept designer. It featured two layers of recycled tulle fabric along with the Orange Fibre twill which is was composed of 50 per cent acetylated orange cellulose fibre and 50 per cent organic silk. [1] https://www.princeton.edu/news/2017/08/22/orange-new-green-how-orange-peels-revived-costa-rican-forest [2] https://newatlas.com/orange-peel-forest-costa-rica/51012/ [3] https://www.thebetterindia.com/170732/jharkhand-innovation-green-low-cost-toilet-cleaner/ [4] http://orangefiber.it/ [5] http://orangefiber.it/news/lin-chi-ling-wears-orange-fiber-gown/
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Composting — the fastest way to reduce waste
A GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS One of the first things people asked when plastic bag bans were introduced was: “now what am I going to use for my kitchen garbage bags?” While this may seem like a very logical question, I believe the real questions is: “Why are people still using plastic bags for their kitchen waste?” The reason why most people use plastic bags for their waste is because there’s usually wet materials being placed into the bag. For example: vegetable scraps, fruit peels and cores, any food scraps coming off plates and egg shells. Adding these types of products to a paper bag, then hoping that the contents don’t fall all over your kitchen floor, is a recipe for disaster. And there it is — the reason people use plastic bags for their garbage. The question then becomes: “Why are you adding food waste to your household garbage?” Ozharvest estimates that food waste makes up 35% of household waste. If you’re looking to reduce your household waste, and you’re still throwing your food waste then get excited, because you’re about to get introduced to the fastest way to reduce your household waste — by thirty-five percent! We’ve written may articles before on composting; how different materials break down in a compost, the difference between biodegradable and compostable, questioning whether products actually biodegrade or if it's simply greenwash, as well as run many tests on compostable products to see if they pass the test. However, in this blog post we’re addressing why you should compost, and we’ll let you in on what we like to call the lazy gardeners, simple method of reducing waste. Why Should You Compost? There are so many reasons why you should compost that I’m not sure I can write them all in one blog post, but I can’t think of a single reason why you shouldn’t! Here’s a few reasons why I think composting is the king of reducing waste: Composting is a fun and educational tool that can be used to teach kids (and perhaps yourself too) how long things take to compost, or return back to nature. Who doesn’t want great soil to use for their veggie garden or flower garden? Compost provides your plants with all the nutrients they require — great soil means delicious, healthy vegetables, (or beautiful flowers)! If you leave your food scraps in the bin too long you’ll soon experience the not so pleasant smell of rotting food. This equates to putting your garbage out sooner, meaning more plastic bags are headed straight to landfill. ???? There are so many things you can compost, not just the obvious food scraps but you can also add hair, cotton buds (the bamboo stemmed variety), paper and dryer lint and dirt from your vacuum (note you should only add these two items if you are confident there are no plastic particles in them). And finally you’ll reduce household waste by at least 35% when you start composting! There you have it, five great reasons why you should start composting today! While there are several different ways you can compost, I’d like to introduce you to the easiest, hassle free way of composting . . . Trialling Different Composting Systems I’d tried several different methods of composting over the years. My first composting venture was using a worm farm. This was a great experience, and it's perfect for those that live in places that don't have outdoor areas where they can tend to their compost piles. Or in my case at the time, if you live in an area with bears, you'll want to keep that compost inside! The downside of worm composting? There are certain items you can’t add to your compost and essentially it’s like owning a pet (or hundreds or pets)! If you’re heading out of the home for several weeks you’ll need to ensure they are well feed so they don’t starve to death. You'll also need to retrieve the casings / soil from the farm, which means handling worms. If the thought of touching worms creeps you out, then you'll want to cross worm composting off your list. The next type of composting system I tried was a barrel compost. A large round barrel on a stand with a handle on the side that you use the regularly rotate the compost. Using this type of composting is very similar to traditional pile composting, meaning that you need to add the correct balance of brown to green matter. Personally, I’m far too lazy of a gardener (or time poor) to fuss with this type of system so when my neighbour told me about the simple method of Bokashi composting I was intrigued. The Secret to a Simple Compost System What the heck is Bokashi? Bokashi is a Japanese word that means “fermented organic matter”. To put it simply, Bokashi composting is a method whereby you layer your food scraps into a large sealed bucket. On top of each layer you place bokashi mix which aids the fermentation of the food scraps. This fermentation process is what helps your food scraps break down faster when added to soil. Bokashi composting is the perfect method for a “lazy gardener”, or a “lazy composter”. You can add all your food scraps to Bokashi, including meat, dairy, citrus and egg shells. Simply add your food waste to a (specially designed) bucket that has a tap on the bottom. Layer with Bokashi mix and repeat until the bucket is full. Once full, dig a large hole in the garden, add the entire contents of the bucket to the hole, cover with dirt and let Mother Nature do her thing! And there it is, the easiest, hassle free way to compost your food waste! Are you an expert composter or just beginning your composting journey? Perhaps you've been wanting to give it a try but aren't quite ready for the next step? If you're the later, and you have some questions regarding composting specific to where you live leave a comment below, hopefully I can help you with the next step!
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Plastic Free Laundry: Australian Wool Dryer Balls
Wool Dryer Balls are a natural, plastic free fabric softener. They're also toxin free, zero waste, and perfect for any load of laundry—including your delicates. No matter whether you live in northern Australia where laundry is hung on the line almost all year round, or if you live down south where a dryer is used a little more frequently. Every location has its rainy days, and those days are not ideal conditions for hanging the laundry out to dry. It’s during the rainy days that we switch on the dryer to get the laundry dry. Forget the dryer sheets (used once then discarded), or liquid softener, bottled in plastic—choose a reusable, plastic free method instead—a wool dryer ball. You may have heard of the tennis ball technique for softening your clothes in the dryer. Or perhaps even tried this method and stopped after the noise became too much. Wool dryer balls are soft and will quietly bounce around in the dryer, reducing static and wrinkles from your clothing, bedding and nappies while making them lovely and soft to the touch. Environmentally Friendly The true benefit of using dryer balls is the benefit you’ll be giving back to the environment. Using a dryer ball reduces drying time by up to 25 per cent—this reduction in drying time will reduce your energy bill, thus saving you money in return. Dryer balls are the perfect zero waste addition to your laundry room. Aside from the reduced emissions for dryer use time, wool dryer balls are also 100 per cent plastic free and biodegradable. A dryer ball will last thousands of loads, after which it can safely be added to your home compost, allowing the balls to break down naturally. If you have young children in your home, you won’t need to worry if your balls were to accidentally get into small hands or chewed on. Wool laundry balls are chemical free, non-toxic and can double as a safe toy for the kids to play with around the home. You may however want to keep them out of reach from cats, who’ll have an equally fun time tossing them about the house! How do you use a dryer ball? Wool dryer balls are placed into your tumble dryer with a wet load of laundry. The balls can be conveniently stored on one of the paddles inside the dryer between uses. How many dryer balls you need per load will depend on the load of your washing. For a small/regular load of laundry 3 dryer balls is sufficient. For larger, heavier loads you may want to use double the amount of dryer balls. Like your clothes to not only be soft and fresh after they are dry, and also have a lovely scent like a dryer sheet would leave? Wool Dryer Balls can be scented by adding a few drops of your favourite pure essential oil before placing them in the dryer. Before adding oils ensure nobody in your family has an allergy to the scent as it will be left on all entire load of laundry. EORTH's wool dryer balls are made from Australian wool, they are packaged plastic free in a 3-Pack cardboard box.
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The plastic we don’t see
Behind the scenes We’re now over a week into Plastic Free July. Whether this is your first time taking up the challenge, or you’ve participated in a Plastic Free challenge several times, you’ll know it’s definitely not easy! During the first challenge your eyes may be opened to just how much plastic is used to package products. There may be items you hadn’t considered before to be a problem, thinking it’s okay because at least those items are being recycled. Once you get further into the challenge and dig a little deeper into the issues surrounding plastic pollution, you’ll soon realise that recycling plastic is just putting a band-aid on the problem. We cannot recycle our way out of the plastic pollution problem. For most experienced challengers, Plastic Free July becomes a month where you try harder to reduce. You’re at a stage where your eyes have been opened and your consciousness has been awakened — there’s no turning back now! When you’ve reached this stage it’s likely you already have a list of the best places to shop where you can avoid plastic, and regularly visit those stores that’ll go out of their way to help you along the journey. And here’s where it gets interesting! A personal experience I recently visited my local bakery, a place where I purchase my weekly loaf of bread. I shop here because I know my bread will be placed in a paper bag (a bag which is then used in the kitchen to collect any waste that can’t be composted). They’ll even happily place my loaf of bread into your reusable bag if requested. I also occasionally like to grab a pie or spinach roll when I’m wanting a quick snack. These are also placed into paper bags. None of these products are served in single use bags so checks all the plastic free boxes, right? Out of sight, out of mind The saying out of sight, out of mind couldn’t describe more clearly what I was soon to learn. On this trip to the bakery I decided to grab a quick pie. Unfortunately, there were no veggies pies left. Sensing my disappointment, the wonderful shop keeper offered to provide me with a cold pie that I could heat up at home. Perfect I thought, that works for me. It wasn’t until I got into the car to look at my cold pie that the disappointment set in — the pie was wrapped in plastic! And there it was, after all these years of getting that quick snack at the bakery because I thought I was avoiding single use plastic — I’d actually been buying pies and veggie rolls that were wrapped in single use plastic! Lessons learned While I won’t stop shopping at my favourite bakery for a loaf of bread, I will have to skip the pies and rolls from now on. I don’t think the bakery are out to trick anyone into thinking their products are plastic free. It was just my assumption that the products were actually baked in-house. In the future I’ll be sure to check if the products I’m purchasing at bakeries and coffee shops are made in-house or if they are delivered pre-packaged. By doing this I’ll lessen my disappointment, it’ll create awareness with the store that people won’t buy if it’s packaged in plastic and I’ll feel better knowing that I’m not contributing to growing problem of single use plastic! Have you encountered any unexpected plastic during your plastic free journey? I love to hear about it . . . share your story below.
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5 Ways to Compost: Living in Small Spaces
Composting is a great way to reduce household waste, and it’s one of the first things we recommend to those getting started on their plastic free journey. Why start with composting? Because watching things breakdown and turn back into soil is not only fun but fascinating! When you start composting you quickly learn what does and doesn’t break down, and what items disappear back to nature quicker than others. Some of these items will be obvious, however some may surprise you — like when a skeleton of a tea bag is left behind in a worm farm. Why didn’t the worms eat the whole thing? One word. Plastic. By reducing the amount of waste you send to landfill every week, you'll be reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When organic material breaks down in an anaerobic landfill environment, methane gas is generated. In contrast the by-product of aerobic composting is carbon dioxide, which is not only less harmful to the atmosphere, it also helps to regenerate soil with healthy nutrients and reduces landfill costs. It’s a win-win. You’ll be helping regenerate the earth’s soil, plus those taxes you pay to council every year can go to a better use than garbage collection and landfill! What is the best way to compost? When people first begin their composting journey, they have so many questions. What’s the best composting system? How do I collect scraps? What can I add to compost? Do I need a lot of room? As many questions as there are surrounding composting, there are an equal amount of answers. Often the answer is “it depends”. Composting is very simple. Instead of asking “What’s the best way to compost?” the question should be “What’s the best composting method for where I live?” The truth is — there is always a way, it’s a matter of what’s going to work best for where you live and what’s going to fit best into your lifestyle. In this blog post we’ll look at the options available for those who are a little more restricted with their options: apartment living, no yard space or small outdoor areas. COMPOSTING USING A WORM FARM One of the best ways to compost when you have limited space is to use a worm compost, sometimes known as a worm farm. Worm farms are comprised of three tiered trays. Worms begin on the top tray working their way through the organic waste. They move down into the second tray where they rest, digest and poo. When the second tray is full of castings (worm poo) the trays are rotated. Once a worm farm is established the resulting compost from the bottom tray is removed and the tray is placed into the top position where the waste is placed. The first tray is moved down one row and the second tray, containing mostly castings will be moved to the bottom tray. The worms will make their way back up to the top and middle trays to eat rest and repeat. Once established the worm farm is on continual rotation. Bottom tray is where you collect your compost and top tray is where you add your food scraps. There is also a drip tray or tap at the bottom where you collect any excess liquid. The excess liquid can be safely discarded down your kitchen drain. Worm trays are relatively low maintenance and are great to use with kids — they are educational and the kids will love being “worm farmers.” Worm farms are not the most suitable method to use in hot, tropical climates. “Worms can eat their own weight in food every day! What can you place in your worm farm? Fruit & vegie scraps Bread & cheese Cooked vegetables, grains, pasta & rice – basically all vegetarian foods Coffee grounds & tea leaves (note most tea bags contain plastic, check first before adding). Egg shells — a great source of calcium, a mineral which worms require in their diet to stay healthy. (Finely crush prior to adding) Newspaper & thin unprinted cardboard – no glossy printed pages What items don’t work well in worm farms? Fish, meat, bones and meat-based sauces Large seeds (eg. avocado seeds) Citrus fruits, onions, garlic, and chili (acceptable in small amounts) Dairy, oils, or grease Dog or cat faeces (can be placed in dedicated pet waste only worm farms). Worm Farm pros: Fun and educational — great for teaching young children how to compost (they’ll also love handling the worms, so you don’t have to!) Worm farms are relatively maintenance free and fit well in small spaces. Worm farms produce beautiful nutrient rich soil that can easily be placed in potted plants or outside in existing garden beds. Know someone that loves to garden? Gift them some worm compost. Worm Farm cons: You’re limited to the amount of food your worms can eat. If you produce a lot of organic food waste your worms may not be able to keep up with consumption. In order to capture the compost you will may need to get dirty and touch some worms! Worm farms often attract fruit flies. Worms are mostly low maintenance and can survive on scraps left in the bin for several weeks. However, if leaving the home for lengthy periods of time you will need to ensure your leachate container (drip tray) is large enough to collect all liquids during this time. Not doing so will result in unpleasant smelling spillage on your kitchen floor! VERICOMPOSTING WITH SUBPOD Subpod is a three-in-one compost system: worm farm, garden seat, compost maker. Subpod works in tandem with nature, using worms and microbes to compost organic waste. It’s odour, vermin, mess and largely maintenance free! This brilliant Aussie composting invention is now being used in over 20,000 homes across the globe. Although it’s similar in function to a worm composting system, Subpod has the ability to process larger amounts of food waste and contains very little maintenance. “Subpod is a vermicomposting system – worms and microbes break down food waste and scraps and turn it into rich organic fertiliser. Unlike worm farms, once established you can add a variety of food waste to the system such as dairy and meats. Subpods can also be used in both hot and cold climates. As the system is buried into the soil, the worms are sheltered underground. For urban dwellers that have limited outdoor green space, this is a perfect system. Subpod is partly buried in the ground (typically in a raised garden bed). The lid of the composting system keeps vermin out — plus it can be used for seating. The buried section of the Supbod contains small holes in which the worms can move in and out of freely. What if you don’t have an outdoor garden space? If you have a small concrete patio area, you can construct a raised garden area on top of concrete. Subpod have a video showing exactly how to set-up your compost for this type of situation. The sleek design, ease of use and low maintenance required makes this a very attractive method of composting. What can you place in a Subpod? Once a Subpod is established you can place any compostable items into the system. Fruit and veggie scraps Fish, meat and bones Coffee grounds, tea leaves and crushed eggshells Spoiled plant-based milks Paper (non-glossy) and cardboard (ink free) Cooked grains, pasta & rice Meat and plant based sauces Coffee grounds & tea leaves (and plastic free tea bags) Paper and cardboard Natural fibres such as cotton wool balls, toilet paper cores Citrus fruits, onions, garlic, and chilli (acceptable in small amounts) Dairy, oils, or grease Dog or cat faeces (can be placed in dedicated pet waste only Subpod systems). What can’t you compost in a Subpod? Like all compost systems you cannot place non-organic materials into a Subpod. These include any form of plastic including plastic clothing, cigarettes, building waste, toxic waste, glass, or silicone. Subpod pros: Sleek design, easy to set up, great for small outdoor spaces Top of lid doubles as a seat Relatively maintenance free Once system is up and running you can add meats, oils and dairy and anything plant based Can be placed on an outdoor patio area No need to handle worms Can be used in hot and cold climates Can process large amounts of food waste Subpod cons: Not suitable for indoors Requires sufficient space and a raised garden bed to rest in. Requires purchase regular of worm mat (although alternative options may be used). BOKASHI COMPOSTING I’ll let you in on a little secret — Bokashi Composting is my preferred method of composting. Why? I call it the lazy gardeners composting method. The process requires very little work. Collect scraps, dig hole, bury waste, wash out bucket — repeat. That’s literally all that’s involved in Bokashi composting. While this is the perfect scenario for someone that likes low fuss composting, it does have its downsides. Because Bokashi composting requires digging a large hole in which to bury the waste it may not be ideal for people living in apartment buildings. There are however ways around this. Firstly, you can seek out friends, neighbours or community gardens in your neighbourhood that will allow you to add the Bokashi waste into their dirt. And secondly you can add your Bokashi waste and dirt to a large Rubbermaid container and allow it to compost inside that container (see details below). NOTE: The Bokashi bucket gets heavy when full, you’ll also need a hose nearby to rinse out the Bokashi bin as soon as possible! If carrying a large bucket to your intended burial destination is not your ideal way to compost, there is another way. Once the Bokashi bucket is full you can add the waste to a large Rubbermaid bucket half full of dirt. The waste materials get mixed in with the dirt and the lid goes on the Rubbermaid. Once the waste has turned to nutrient rich soil, half of the composted soil can be removed and placed into an outdoor garden space. Or perhaps you could make a little money on the side and sell your soil! Bokashi pros: Very low maintenance, Bokaski is basically a dedicated food waste bin Does not require a lot of room (bucket is size of small garbage bin) No restrictions to what can be placed in the bucket — both plant based and animal products acceptable Can add oils to fermented composting materials before burying No need to handle worms or to tend to compost Airtight lid, starving fly larvae of oxygen — no surprise maggots in the home! Dedicated pet waste Bokashi composting systems available Bokashi cons: Requires using a liquid spray or wheat bran mix that’s packaged in plastic. (You can also purchase Bokashi mix in a compostable hessian bag). Requires storage in well ventilated or outdoor area as bucket can give off an acidic, fermenting odour when opened. Bokashi is a pre-composting/fermentation stage. The food waste does not “compost” in the bucket. The waste needs to be placed it in soil where the composting takes place. Requires two buckets, one for extending fermentation process, other for initial waste collection. KITCHEN COMPOSTING CADDY One common question when starting to compost is: what should I store my food waste in? You can put your food scraps into any container — used ice cream bucket, mixing bowl, or a kitchen caddy, however the easiest and most stylish way to collect your food scraps is by using a metal composting bucket. Continue adding your food scraps to the bucket during the week, once full place the contents into your Subpod or Bokashi Bin. Composting buckets are not needed when using a worm farm as the food scraps can be placed directly into the farm. Additional options: Used plastic yoghurt container or anything with a tight fitting lid. Store your bucket in the fridge or freeze scraps (this will help them break down faster) SHAREWASTE.COM If you’re not interested in creating compost at home but want to reduce your waste and understand the importance of composting — then ShareWaste may be just what you’re looking for. ShareWaste.com is a website that aims to give your waste a second chance! The website has a map marked with locations across Australia that will accept your food scraps. It is for both those that would like to accept food scraps and those that would like to donate their scraps to willing participants. Simply search the map, find a location in your area, and register online. Once registered you’ll be provided with the host details and drop off location. Simply drop off your waste and your host will deal with the rest! Other options: Ask around your neighbourhood to see if anyone has a compost area they are happy to share Take your food scraps to your local community garden. They are everywhere —just search “community garden” in Google Maps. LOMI — ELECTRIC HOME COMPOSTING The final option on our small spaces, home composting list is probably the most simple and suitable system for small spaces. But it comes at a price — and it’s not yet available on the market. Lomi is a compost system that sits on your countertop. You add the food scraps (and home compostable bioplastics) click the button and wait for your compost to process. The Lomi composting system is the invention of Canadian company who created Pela — the world’s first compostable plastic phone case. Lomi pros: No actual composting required. Does not require a lot of room, can sit neatly on a kitchen counter. Can add home compostable plastic Lomi is a zero-waste system, should your Lomi break you can send it back to be recycled. Lomi cons: Not yet available, will cost almost $600 with shipping to Australia. Requires electricity. Restricted to what can be placed in the system (paper, cardboard products and bamboo not acceptable however small bones from chicken and fish are). Very small, would not be able to process large amounts of food waste. Requires frequent (daily or twice-weekly) cycles. Can take up to 20 hours to create compost. Not suitable for pet waste. WHAT’S THE BEST COMPOSTING SYSTEM FOR URBAN DWELLERS? As you can see there are many ways you can compost in small spaces — far too many to list in this blog post alone but the best method of composting is the one that suits your lifestyle. Worm farm: The perfect starter system for any composter. While you will be slightly restricted to what you can place in your system, they are small, relatively low maintenance and can process a good amount of scraps for a small family. Low cost to get started (under $200), no additional sprays or compost mixes required. Recommended for apartment living. Subpod: If you have a small garden area, or an outdoor patio area a Subpod is probably your best option. Subpod may be a little more on the expensive side for the initial purchase (up to $450 for full set-up), however you won’t need any additional supplies, and you won’t be restricted to what can be placed in the Subpod system. Bokashi: A simple and effective method of composting. Bokashi itself is not really composting but rather “food fermenting”. Once your food is ready to go in the ground it gets buried where the food breaks down and composts — there's nothing else to it! It’s low cost for the initial purchase ($190 for two buckets and two bag mixes), however you will be required to purchase new mix every few months which can cost up to $20 a bag. Lomi: Lomi system has mixed reviews online. It's definitely not cheap which takes away from the beauty of composting, however if you live in an apartment building or simply don't have the space or time for composting, this type of system would be a fantastic option. 10 things you may not know you can compost! Cotton, wool, hemp or linen fabrics (no polyester, nylon, acrylic or blends). Untreated pet and human hair and nail clippings Human and pet waste (requires specific composting conditions). Latex gloves and condoms! Charcoal and paper ash Masking tape Silk dental floss Wine corks Dryer and vacuum lint (from natural materials only) Sawdust
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5 Ways to Reduce Plastic this Easter
As with most celebrations, Easter is an occasion that generates a lot of waste — and while avoidable much of that waste is single use plastic. Perhaps this Easter we can take the effort to make conscious purchasing decisions to reduce our waste. Below we cover 5 ways ways to help reduce plastic consumption over the Easter long weekend: 1. Conscious Purchases The Easter weekend begins with the shops. Of course there is chocolate to be purchased, and if you’re having guests over for lunch or dinner, there’s lots of food to be purchased. When you hit the shops this long weekend there are a couple of things you can do to skip the single use plastic. When purchasing Easter eggs look for chocolate eggs that aren’t packaged in plastic, instead opt for eggs that are either wrapped only in foil, or seek out larger chocolate eggs where the foil wrapped egg is packaged cardboard (without the plastic). Like any other day of the year when hitting the shops remember to take your reusable bags and avoid products that are packaged in plastic — yes that includes soda that comes in plastic bottles. While they may be recyclable remember — only 9% of plastic actually gets recycled in Australia. 2. Create a Foil Ball Make recycling fun by asking everyone to contribute to the Easter foil ball. Take foil wrapped around Easter eggs and place them in a bowl, as the contents of the bowl grows, start wrapping the larger foil pieces around the smaller chocolate wrappers —scrunch the foil with your hands to create a foil ball. Another suggestion is to place the small foil wrappers inside an aluminium can so the contents and the can be crushed and recycled together. It's best to check with your City Council to confirm that a ball of foil and/or the wrappers inside a can is accepted in your councils recycling facilities. Unlike plastic, aluminium foil can be recycled over and over again. In fact, Australia is the ranked fifth in the world for aluminium recycling, recycling up to 70% of aluminium cans. 3. DIY Decorated Eggs Decorating eggs can be a fun activity to do with the kids, or an easy DIY for decorating the dining room table or kitchen area. We aren’t talking about the chocolate variety of eggs here (though you could do that as well), what we’re talking about is a pretty hard-boiled egg or using an empty egg shell. To make coloured decorative eggs: Boil the eggs, then allow to cool. Make a few different coloured natural food dyes with ingredients such as coffee (brown), turmeric (yellow), dehydrated greens (green) or cabbage (red). Mix the aforementioned products with water, and dip each egg into the colour of your choice. Place eggs back into the cardboard egg carton and allow to dry. For a little extra fun you could also add smiley faces to decorate your coloured eggs 🙂 Not only are these eggs a lovely decoration for the dinner table you can choose to crack them open for dinner, or put them in the fridge to enjoy for lunch the next day. To make herb egg shell hair: Create a clean crack in an egg — (be sure to use the egg yolk and whites in your cooking). Decorate the shells with smiling faces, then addd your favourite herbs to the shells for the egg hair. If you're not wanting to use the herbs for your cooking after they've been on display, be sure to place both the egg shells and the "green hair" into your home compost bin — your garden will be happy you did. 4. DIY Chocolate Treats If you’re vegan or you have vegan guests, hard boiled eggs likely won’t be on the Easter menu or be used for decorations — why not make your own chocolate treats instead? Creating chocolate treats is also a super fun activity to do with the kids. Instead of making an actual egg as a simple easter treat or dessert, dip some fresh strawberries or other fresh fruit in melted chocolate. Either melt down a bar of store bought chocolate, or venture out and make your own vegan chocolate. Be sure to look for fruit that’s not packaged in plastic! 5. Plastic Wrapped Easter Gifts Not everything is within our control. When you’ve gone out of your way to avoid purchasing as much plastic as possible for your Easter weekend, it can be a bit of a downer when someone gifts you a box of chocolates (covered in plastic wrap, with a plastic insert to house the chocolates), or a large chocolate egg packaged in a thick non-recyclable plastic shell. There goes your plastic free weekend. We can choose to get annoyed at the situation, we can choose to accept the gift for what it is, or we can choose to use this as a time to educate others about why you opt to skip the plastic. However, it’s important to remember — there’s a time and place, and you have to pick your battles! Saying no to your neighbours gift and giving them an explanation of why, may not go down as well as if you said no to your sisters Easter egg gift covered in plastic packaging. Whatever you choose to do this Easter weekend, make sure it’s an enjoyable one and do your best to a) not eat too much chocolate and b) reduce your plastic waste where you can — you won’t always succeed at either but you’ll feel better knowing you tried! Have a Happy Easter
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Create Your Own Plastic Free Juice
Eliminate single use plastic in your home — forget buying juice in plastic containers, instead juice your own. Nothing beats a freshly squeezed glass of juice. Juicing Necessities Grab a box of oranges, or bag a dozen or two when you're at the markets or grocery store. If you're not able to grab a box make sure to take your reusable fruit and veggie bags with you, to place the loose oranges in. Fresh juice, particularly orange juice can be juiced by a variety of methods, but if you want to get the most juice out of your bounty, an electric juicer is a must. A juicer is a great investment for the home. They are available at a variety of price ranges. You don't however need to run out and buy the latest greatest model to achieve delicious fresh juice. Take a look online on Facebook shopping pages, at your local Vinnies or Second Hand shop, or seek out a deal on eBay. Fresh squeezed juice can be stored in the fridge in used plastic juice containers. This continues to give them, life rather than tossing them into the recycling bin (remember the key to eliminating household plastic is to reduce and reuse before recycling). Juicing a few dozen oranges should yield you around 3 litres of juice. If you don't get enough juice to fill your juice containers add water to juice. Be sure to give it a bit of a shake before drinking so the liquid is combined. Fresh squeezed juice will last a few days in the fridge — that is if you don't drink it all before the "use by date". Discarding the pulp and orange rinds If you want to go full zero waste, you may want to use up your pulp in cooking. You'll be baking a lot of muffins if you want to use up all the orange pulp as part of the muffin ingredients. You can also add pulp to soup for some additional flavour and texture. Citrus peels can be soaked in vinegar for a few weeks. After soaking remove the peels from the vinegar mixture. To get the most liquid and scent, give them a good squeeze first. Store the orange vinegar in a used spray bottle. The liquid can now be used as wonderful orange scented, natural, all purpose cleaner. My absolute favourite way to enjoy citrus peels in a meal is to dehydrate them. Once dehydrated the peels are then ground into a fine powder. You can add this powder to almost any recipe where you're looking for some extra orange flavoured punch. Add it to salad dressings, it also tastes great in melted chocolate. It's also a fantastic addition to a salt grinder, add rock salt, ground citrus peel and some dried herbs. Also fabulous in smoothies! Although some say you should not add citrus peels to your compost, my understanding is that they don't break down fast enough — or disrupt the pH balance. If you're not a hard core gardener, and are simply composting to reduce waste, then you can always try the Bokashi technique (this works perfectly for me). Place the pulp and rinds at the very bottom of the hole that's been dug for your Bokashi composting. Place the contents of the Bokashi on top and bury with soil. Not interested/don't have time for at home juicing — source out some Noah's Juice. It's packaged in a glass jar with a foil lid.
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DIY Chocolate Bark with Dried Berries
Home-made chocolate ready in less than an hour Cocoa butter — it's an ingredient that you may associate with cooking or more specifically with chocolate. But cocoa butter isn't just used to make chocolate, or your favourite hot chocolate drink — did you know that cocoa butter is also commonly used in natural skin care products? Cocoa butter is a versatile product that's great for not only putting in your body but it's also great for moisturising both the hair and skin! Here at Eorth we use natural cocoa butter in many of our natural Australian beauty free products including our natural lip balms. Although cocoa butter is commonly produced in African nations, cocoa beans are also grown and processed right here in Australia. In fact Far North Queensland is home to one of a few of Australia's organic cocoa plantations. As the festive season draws near, we thought it would be the perfect time to share a simple recipe that contains cocoa butter, which is great for your skin — and your taste buds too! This delicious chocolate treat can be whipped up very quickly, you'll just need to wait for it to cool and harden in the fridge before you can sink your teeth into the natural goodness of this Chocolate Bark. DIY Chocolate Bark using a base of 4 simple ingredients While it's simple enough to head to the store to and grab a bar of chocolate, it's more difficult to find a bar of chocolate that hasn't been packaged in plastic. Even my favourite chocolate manufacturer, that previously sold all their chocolate bars wrapped in foil and cardboard — has now switched to plastic instead of foil. I was pretty disappointed when I discovered this opening the last bar of chocolate I purchased. The next best option. Make chocolate yourself! And it really doesn't take very long. I mention four simple ingredients as a base, because this recipe can be altered to suit your tastes, your dietary requirement or to suit whatever is in your pantry. You could also skip the dried fruit and use just three ingredients as a base. What are the four key base ingredients? Cocoa Butter Cocoa Powder (for a rich dark colour) Local Honey (or preferred sweetener such as Agave Nectar) Dried Fruit — we've used cranberries for a festive look but a locally dried fruit would be even better! This delicious chocolate treat can be whipped up very quickly, you'll just need to wait for it to cool and harden in the fridge before you can sink your teeth into the natural goodness of this Chocolate Bark. Ingredients 250 g Cocoa Butter 100 g Cocoa Powder 100 g Local Honey (or sweetner alternative) 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract 1/4 tsp Australian Pink Sea Salt 1/2 cup Dried Fruit (Cranberries) 1/4 cup Crushed Macadamia Nuts (optional) Instructions Prep Time: 10 mins | Serves 2 Line a baking tray with foil and set aside (if you're in a warm environment you may want to place the tray into the fridge to cool). Add the cocoa butter in a double boiler, continue stirring as it melts. Add Cocoa Powder, Honey Extract and Salt. Whisk until you have a smooth consistency. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the foil lined baking tray, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle the dried fruit, nuts or seeds over the chocolate. Transfer the chocolate to the fridge or freezer to harden. (The faster it hardens, the sooner you can eat it!) Once ready remove the chocolate from the foil sheet and break the chocolate into bit sized pieces. Notes If you'd like to have a frosted look on the top of your chocolate, add all your ingredients except the cocoa powder (and toppings) to your mixing bowl and stir. Remove a small amount of the mixture and set aside. Add the cocoa powder and whisk well. As per the instructions above add dark chocolate mix to the foil lined tray. Drizzle with the white chocolate mix and add dried fruits and nuts as noted above. This chocolate will melt quickly so be sure to store it in the fridge. It will last for a few weeks — or less if you just can't resist having a quick snack! Enjoy your plastic free chocolate treats.
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