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.
Old is the New New this October, with Salvos Stores’ first ever Buy Nothing New Month. Get on board for more money in your pockets, time on your hands and a lighter carbon footprint.
Instead of a short‐term, throwaway attitude to ‘stuff’, Salvos Stores Buy Nothing New Month extends the life cycle of goods, maximises the embedded cost and resources in the stuff we buy and gives an introduction to the re‐cycled, free‐ cycled, upcycled , secondhand, ‘swishing’ and sustainable alternatives that are better for you, your wallet and the planet
The number of products a woman uses on her face in a day can run into double figures when you add them up. Starting with cleansing, toning, moisturising, you then move onto makeup and perfume which can contain a mixture of anything up to 400 chemicals. The new generation of cosmetics and the use of nano particles, means that women carry more chemicals than ever before and it is difficult to decipher what exactly you are putting on your face. Companies may claim that their products are natural but what does this mean? New standards have been introduced to help to spot the real green options from the wannabes.
A T-shirt with a tonne of carbon locked up in it? That must be a pretty big T-shirt right? Not exactly. This new range of T-shirts has been created by Treecreds. Their objective is to save forests from being logged and encourages investment in avoided deforestation offset projects. The T-shirts each contain one tonne of carbon-dioxide equivalent emissions. That is, for every T-shirt purchased, Treecreds retires one carbon credit.
The Green Beings Unico product trial results have now been posted. After several weeks of shampooing, conditioning and scrutinising our hair, we have given our verdict on this natural range. The panel members enjoyed using an Australian salon grade product, but did the products perform? Interesting results. To read our verdict check out our product review page.
Ethical, sustainable business practices, certified organic, fair trade ingredients, 100% Australian made and owned. Eco-product credentials don’t come much better than that. Evohe represents a new generation of independent businesses that are serious about sustainable life and business practices. Headed by Meg and Baz Forrester, this couple has created a range of eco-beauty products that provide true sustainable luxury. Products are free of palm oil and we’ve got a range of their products for you to try.
Seriously chic, these genuine French-style market baskets are perfect for shopping, picnics, beach bags, you name it. They are hardwearing, with strong handles, and made using traditional techniques. We’ve got a selection, in all sizes, handle shapes and even colours for the Green Beings panel to test out.
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. We’ve got a selection of Unico’s shampoos and conditioners for our panel to try out.