Beer and TP (toilet paper): Ideas that change the lives of millions
Shebeen is a non-profit bar that sells beers from around the world and gives 100% of profits back to your drink's country of origin. Who Gives A Crap is a brand of toilet paper that helps provide people in developing countries with toilets and better sanitation. Simon Griffiths is the brains behind both these amazing ventures!
Read the full story »
Full of beans for Fair Trade
The coffee ritual in the West is ubiquitous which makes it terribly easy to forget where those beans came from. Unfortunately we live in such an upside-down world where many of the world’s hungry are the ones keeping our coffee addiction alive and starving for it. We know we live in a nutty world where everyday life poses enough challenges to keep us busy for a lifetime but that shouldn’t stop us from being mindful of the world’s poor and creating a better food system for everyone by supporting small-scale farmers. It’s not just your coffee cup; it’s 2.25 billion cups each year and the earth doesn’t seem pleased either.
Read the full story »
Three questions with Farmer Marg
Marg Alexandra is the manager of Hazeldean Forest Farm, where they’ve been farming ecologically and producing quality organic food for over 25 years. Marg and Jason Alexandra transformed the 92 acre property on the base of the Stezleckie Ranges “to create integrated biodiversity and sustainable ecosystems”, which was achieved by planting windbreaks, orchards, forests, and building a dam. Some of their produce includes walnuts, chestnuts, peaches, and 40 apple varieties. They even make their own apple cider (I am a huge fan already). Marg sells her produce direct to CERES, one or two other markets and her own farmers’ market circuit.
I asked Marg a few questions about being a small-scale farmer.
Read the full story »
CERES about fair food and the power of community
CERES (pronounced ‘series’) – the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies – is a not-for-profit environmental park located on 10 acres in East Brunswick, Melbourne. It has been built on land that was originally landfill (the soil is safe in case you’re wondering). CERES was established in 1981 by local residents who wanted to create social and environmental awareness and it was opened in 1982. Melissa says, “over the course of 30 years, CERES has become a vibrant community park and socially-driven organisation.” They have all different enterprises including a nursery, market, shop, café, permaculture nursery, farm (including chickens), workshops, tours, and education programs open to the public.
Read the full story »
Press play: Top 5 Fair Trade vids
Fair Trade is one of those issues many people are simply unsure about. However, there are heaps of amazing online resources that are fun to watch, and totally enlightening. Some are TED talks, and some simple YouTube animated vids. Here are my Top 5 Fair Trade Videos from the web! In a few moments time, you will be 1000% more informed about the issues of Fair Trade than you were before, and all from resources at your fingertips. VOILÁ!
Read the full story »
Feeding yourself in the Zombie Apocalypse: Part Two
A series of blogs on how to eat, without being eaten. This month we’re going a little deeper into your Zombie Preparedness Plan (ZPP). In short, there are many easy things you can do pre-apocalypse to ensure your post-apocalypse survival.
Read the full story »
Your local community farm: just around the corner
I'm a quintessential city kid. Everything I know about farming I learned from Waterworld: you need dirt. But even as a city kid I know that we, unlike poor Kevin Costner, live in a country that has pretty great dirt (although apparently it's actually called 'soil'). How would a city kid know that? A few days ago I car-pooled with a few of the Alfalfa House crew to visit one of their suppliers, Common2Us. Common2Us is an organic community farm in Dural, only an hour out of Sydney's center.
Read the full story »
Fair Trade for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is coming up! Sunday, May 12, which means there's not long to decide what to get her. Don’t know what that might be? Why not buy her something Fair Trade? That way, your gift will be twice as meaningful.
Here are my top 5 favourite items under $20 at the Oxfam Fair Trade shop.
Read the full story »
Top 5 apps on sustainable food
We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite apps that can help you locate your local farmers, plus a few other choices that might help you kickstart your own small-scale 'farm'. By purchasing direct from the local farmer, you’re helping to take responsibility for where your produce comes from and contribute to the great community that helps make and keep food sustainable.
Read the full story »
Mindful in May
Today marks the beginning of Mindful in May – a global campaign that uses meditation and mindfulness to aid a worthy cause. Mindful in May is open to both novice and seasoned meditators and is all about challenging people to become more aware and appreciative whilst also bringing attention to the very real issue of access to clean water – an important one considering that diseases from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
Read the full story »
