mmm book-y goodness.

I could have borrowed this book from the library... I could have. But the waiting list is longer than it would take for the next and last book in the series to come out (Some time at the end of next year) However, this book will pass through many hands if that negates some of the consumer impact. Its already got a 3 person deep line up waiting for me to finish it. I honestly don't know if ebooks will ever catch on. Its not the same for me. Books have a smell and a feeling and a warmth about them that a screen no matter how dimly lit can ever hope to replicate.  I am sure anyone who's read the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (now Brian Sanderson) can understand my transgression.

Email to Greens Candidate for Griffith Emma-Kate Rose

Further to my post here, I emailed my local Greens candiate Emma-Kate Rose.
(Yep, I live in Griffth, Kevin Rudds electorate)
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On 26/07/2010, at 9:21 AM, Dash, Bianca wrote:

Good morning Emma-Kate Rose, Greens candidate for Griffith,
I am writing in the hope that you might be able to assist me, or at least direct me towards the relevant person who can.

I would like to write a letter to the person responsible for, well I am not sure, if it would be food imports or food labelling law.

My concern is, over the weekend at a local farmers market, I came across a store selling Californian Cherries.

Additionally, at a different stall, lemons from California were also being sold - during the peak of Australia's own citrus season!

It started me thinking about food miles and how much carbon is being produced in transporting these foods, and whether, given the information, would people continue to chose to buy these foods.

With the assistance of an online food miles calculator, I have calculated that 1kg of cherries, coming from California to Brisbane, -an approximate distance of 15,932km equates to the production of 973kg of carbon. Figures which I am sure you will agree are astounding.

Are you able to advise, if I would like to commence action and potentially begin a petition or movement towards having the 'food miles' and subsequent embodied emissions of imported foods labelled at point of sale made mandatory, how I would best begin? Who I should contact and what if any requirements of such communication might be for best results?

Many thanks for your time and assistance at a time which I am sure you are very busy.
Best of luck for the coming election. Go the Greens!

Regards,
Bianca Dash

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Well, just a few hours later, I received a response direct from Emma-Kate Rose, which she is happy for me to share with you on this forum;
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From: Emma-Kate Rose [mailto:emma@foodconnect.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 26 July 2010 1:54 PM
To: Dash, Bianca
Subject: Re: Question of where to direct a letter.


Hi Bianca,

Thanks very much for your email and expressing your concerns.

There is currently a national Review Food Labelling is currently underway, headed by Dr Blewitt, who is reportedly a staunch supporter of consumer rights. Submissions closed a couple of months ago, but you can check them all out here: http://www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au/internet/foodlabelling/publishing.nsf/Content/submissions-public

Recently in Qld a group of food advocates and academics got together and formed SUSTAIN QLD to lobby for healthy, ecologically grown food. They don't have a website yet, but google it in a few months and I'm sure it will be up and running.

Additionally, while Qld doesn't have many rules placed on market sellers, there have been recent moves in Victoria which are encouraging. Take a look at this website for more information: http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/

As for the Australian Greens, you can find more about the sustainable agriculture policy here: http://greens.org.au/policies/agriculture-natural-resources/sustainable-agriculture as well as other food policy initiatives recently released here: http://greens.org.au/content/day-5-healthy-food-advertising-press-conference

As a co-owner of a national social enterprise dedicated to bringing city folk close to their producers, I am fully aware of the environmental and social damage caused by the industrialised food system. You might like to check out the website: www.foodconnect.com.au

We know there is a lot more that can be done in our food system that will help the environment, our soil health, the livelihoods of our farmers, and the people who have a right to healthy, nutritious food. So don't hesitate to contact me for more information.

Go well,


Emma

Emma-Kate Rose
2010 Greens Candidate for Griffith
________________________________
griffith@qld.greens.org.au
0411 595 831
Candidate Profile
twitter/emmakaterose
facebook: Emma-Kate Rose, Greens Candidate for Griffith

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Suffice to say, I have some reading to do! I am also going to send the same email (Omitting the 'Go the Greens' comment at the bottom) to the office of Kevin Rudd. It will be interesting to see the response from his office.

GO The greens!

The Real cost of Cherries out of season.

I love cherries.

I was at the farmers markets this weekend and there was a stall selling cherries.

Cherries for me are synonymous with New Years.....because, like most stone fruit, they crop in summer. Its currently the middle of winter here in Australia.

Now, the whole importing food out of season concept isn't new to me, I am not naive... but I've never placed a figure on it before.

1kg of cherries imported from California? 15,932km or 973 kg Carbon. That is the REAL cost of a kg of Cherries. There's a great tool here if you want to calculate food miles.

Worse, at another stall, Californian lemons, right next to Australian lemons. So not only are we importing lemons at the peak of our own citrus season, we're cold storing US lemons and selling them old, out of season.

If it was legislated that imported fruit and vegetable sellers had to advertise the 'food miles' and carbon emissions generated for each kg of fruit or vegetables, how long do you think it'd be before importing food became unviable economically? Its already environmentally unviable.

How do you protest? I wanted to write a letter to someone who might be in a position to do something about it, but who? The agricultural minister? My local MP?

Fact is, I don’t actually know. I can’t find the ‘right person’ there is no easy ‘go to’ website or some such that tells you, who is responsible for what.

Is this the real reason so many of us are apathetic? Because the effort involved to voice opposition is too much?

Well, I am not going to be dissuaded by the effort involved, I am going to find out who my letter needs to go to. (Probably starting with my local Greens member for advice)

There needs to be a website, it needs to be easy for people to find who the person responsible for a particular area of governance is.

Maybe I’ll start one.

Have you ever wanted to write a letter in protest (or even in commendation) but just forgot about it because you couldn’t find the right person to send it to? About what topics?

I'm a stinker

Everything I use on my body is green and natural -home made, or scrupulously sourced, right down to my shampoo and face cream and it all works exceptionally well -even better than their chemical cousins.

All.....except one. Deodorant. -I have tried crystals -a concept that I love, but alas does not love me. I have tried Avalon organics Rosemary deodorant - which is divine except for the fact that you still stink of BO underneath. Lastly I tried Natural Instincts mineral salt spray... I am counting down the minutes before I get to go home and shower.

They don't work -on me personally that is. I am sure they might work on non stinky people.

But alas, I am not a non-stinky person. I am, as I said, a stinker. I can even out-smell neat patchouli oil. Then at least I smell like a stinkey hippie instead of just a regular stinkey.

Are there any fellow stinkers out there that have found a natural product that DOES work?

Please share!

Image CRED

Himalayan Salt Crystal -the skeleton in my carbon closet.

It is reported that the fresh air found after thunderstorms and near waterfalls is based on the high air permeability of Negative Ions. Having a healthy concentration of Negative Ions can clear the air of nasty pollutants that cause illness and disease.

Salt lamps have a similar effect to that of an ioniser, in that they release negative ions* (*charged particles) into the air. It all sounds a little backwards, you'd think negative ions would be bad for you - other way around, its the positive ions, released by various airborne pollutants such as smog, exhaust, radar, and microwaves, as well as electrical smog from appliances such as TV's computers, radios, microwaves among others that are bad for you.

My lamp is on 24/7. From what I can calculate, the monetary cost is inconsequential, but the emmissions are approx 11kg of carbon per year. I refuse to feel guilt about it however - we don't watch TV, the appliances we do use have all been selected for their energy efficiency where ever we've been able, and as a rule, we're quite energy conscious. Our power consumption is less than 1100 kwh per quarter and falling (even through winter) as we take conscious steps to reduce what we consume. 

Now the science isn't concrete, and maybe it's me just trying to justify it, but regardless, I truly feel the lamp makes a difference to the 'energy' of my home, even if it is just ambiance. 

So that is the skeleton in my carbon closet. What is yours?

Ephiphany.

For years I have collected magazines such as Earth Garden, and Grass Roots, read books and articles on self sufficiency and have daydreamed of a property of my own -a few acres of paradise on which to plant a green, productive Utopia. The reality is, I live 2 k's out of Brisbane city CBD, in a house we rent (and love), with a backyard swallowed almost entirely by a 20 year thick blanket of pine needles, and we've no intention of moving any time soon. So I've had a silent unrealised longing that rears its head every few months manifested in an insane sense of disconnectedness, restlessness and sense of mispurpose.

A feeling that I am not leading the life I should, that something is missing.

It has been a slow realisation -and at times an emotional rollercoaster, but these past few months - reading other 'green' blogs, taking my conscious living pledge and becoming vegetarian, its like a veil has been lifted and I have clarity.

It's not about getting to the point in my life where I have the lifestyle I want. Its about bringing the lifestyle I want to this point in my life.

“Drink wine…this is life eternal;

this is all that youth will give you.

It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends.

Be happy for this moment; this moment is your life….”

-Omar Khayyam

I don't need 5 acres of land in the mountains to feel connectedness to the earth and her seasons, to be self sufficient, to lead a greener, healthier lifestyle. Its not an all or nothing deal. The true challenge lays in bringing this way of life in the ways that I can, to the city.

I will attempt to share here what I am doing - the reality is, I have been too busy doing to be writing about doing, but I will try to capture it in parts -in pictures if not words, and I hope to inspire other people to bring the dream to the city the same way I have been inspired by blogs such as The Greening of Gavin, ecoMILF, towards sustainability, down---to---earth and little eco footprints among others.

I can do it here, in my little city house, and it has begun.

Free Doco's

wanted to share with everyone an awesome resource my husband got me onto - its free to view documentaries on line. For anyone contemplating a vegetarian lifestyle, check this documentary out ;

MEET YOUR MEAT

Another two, that really hit home about genetic engineering and the companies behind it.

PANACEA OR POISON .

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO

This is an american site, and the content is geared towards American viewers primarily, but there are some gems in there worth watching, on everything from history, environment, politics and religion, human rights etc. I would encourage you to take note of the film producers on each however and form your own opinions as to whether the doco's are unbiased.  There are a couple I've seen that I would definately consider unashamed propagandist material -but that is the nature of the web for good or bad is it not?

http://freedocumentaries.org/index.php

Choices

It’s so totally unlike me to get distracted by life. Can you tell? I'd like to say I've been busy doing super important things, truth its, I kinda have been. Like deciding to pull my finger out of my laa dee dah, and finally go vegetarian.

With our recent ethical living pledge, it has just been the logical next step. In reality, the hypocrisy of ‘going green’ yet continuing to eat meat, really was too much. We* (husband and I) do not believe eating meat is wrong. It’s the method -modern factory farming that we object to. In addition to the environmental impact on farming meat for food. We've decided it is the best choice for us ethically, environmentally, and for our health.

We will continue to eat dairy and eggs - scrupulously sourced however, and I still have deep concerns over even organically reared dairy cows and their interaction with the veal industry that I am looking into.

We're also battling with a couple of issues which make us feel hypocritical. I.e. Pet food. It is in all reality probably supporting the very worst parts of the factory farming meat industry. But, I am not about to make my dog vegan. So again, something I am continuing to research, and if I find a suitable (ethical and economical) alternative, I will let you know!

I've been immersing myself in pantry preparedness, recipe collation, research and associated ethics based reading and viewing. My single biggest problem I think so far is beans. Not a fan. So, as each new recipe is trialed and meets with approval, I'll be sure to pop it on here.

Ethical Supermarket Shopping

Check out ethical.org.au for a great resource they've made available for FREE! definitely a handy guide when there is in reality so much 'mud in the water' in terms of what really is ethical or is not.

You can also buy printed copies from various distribution channels if you want a quick guide to keep in your handbag. New Internationalist, a publication I subscribe to is one of them, they have a great range of fair trade and ethically sourced products in their online shop. This is the same as the free download, but a compact version. (The PDF is 84 pages otherwise.)

Image Credit