Sometimes I feel like Sherlock Holmes...

I think other people at my supermarket think I’m a little bit strange: my muttering over the product labels is starting to attract stares! Do you do the label examination too? It goes a bit like this: Step 1: pick up an item I might want to buy Step 2: look for label - is it on the back, on a tag, on the bottom? Step 3: squint at the fine-print, wonder if I need glasses Step 4: ask the usual questions - is this...

National Tree Day...

Yesterday, Dave and I braved the rainy weather to show up at our local council’s National Tree Day event, which is run by Planet Ark. There were about 35 people aged 6 to 60-ish; plus a troop of scouts, a few people from Planet Ark to keep us organised, and about a million enormous mosquitoes. I had no idea that mozzies came out in the rain, but there you go. We got a bit wet and muddy, but it was good fun. If...

So, what is organic food anyway?...

I’ve mentioned ‘organic’ a lot here before, and everywhere you look you can see it on labels in the shops. But what does it mean, and how important is it when you’re choosing what to eat?Organic means food that have been grown without pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilisers, and have been processed without food additives (if they need any processing at all). If the word is applied to meat...

Are you wearing a jumper?...

It’s winter: have you got a jumper on? Or a scarf? Maybe a warm hat? If not, why not? Maybe you’re like my father-in-law, who has the amazing ability to wear shorts and sandals in winter and not feel the cold at all. But most of us need to be a bit more covered up once the temperature dips down.Rugging up in cold weather is a great way to help the environment: it means that you don’t have to heat your...

Rudd’s ETS Green Paper: what do you think?...

For the last two days, I’ve been struggling over what to write about the Rudd government’s Green Paper on how they’re going to tackle climate change. I’ve got very conflicting feelings about it! Pros: Well, it’s better than nothing. No, seriously, I’d rather have this emissions trading scheme than nothing at all. It should at least slow emissions instead of letting them accelerate. They’re...

National Tree Day...

You might have seen ads in magazines or on tv for National Tree Day, on Sunday 27th July. There’s also Schools Tree Day, held on Friday 25th July so that school kids can take part. It’s hosted every year by Planet Ark, and anyone can join in. I’ll be going to a tree-planting event in Ascot, held by the local council, but you can find them all over Australia or host your own. Planet Ark uses National...

Garnaut’s draft review wrapup...

So it’s been a week since Garnaut released the draft of his Climate Change Review, and nearly everyone has had their say on it now. You can get a copy of the report from the Garnaut Review website, or see his opening remarks on YouTube: part 1 and part 2.Garnaut has recommended that in 2010 we start an Emissions Trading Scheme where businesses will have to buy emissions permits from the government. A restricted...

4 ways to choose eco-friendly beer...

So, you’re out at the pub with a few friends. Or maybe you’re having a relaxing afternoon watching a game on tv, or having a well-earned rest after working on your organic vegie patch. You decide to have a beer - but did you know you can stay eco-friendly while you do it? Here’s 4 ways we can be more eco-friendly when we’re drinking beer, starting with the easy choices:1. Choose an eco-friendly...

Somerville Eco-village...

At the Green Drinks this week, Alex gave a short talk about the new Somerville EcoVillage that’s being developed north of Perth. The idea is to create a town based on sustainable principles, with human activities integrated into the natural world and a strong community focus. Somerville will have bike and pedestrian access throughout, and the blocks are laid out in small ‘clusters’ or neighborhoods....