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Media
Article by Louisa Chase - Published in the North Shore Times on Thursday July 19th 2007
The Green Column
Plastic bags – kick the habit
New Zealanders use about one billion plastic bags every year. They are made from non-renewable resources and many end up in landfills, where they take hundreds of years to break down and pollute land and waterways in the process.
Others become urban tumbleweeds and end up in the ocean where they are responsible for the deaths of large numbers of seabirds and marine creatures.
Recently supermarkets have reported a huge increase in sales of reusable shopping bags. So are we finally kicking the plastic bag habit?
Retailers are doing their bit to help. Bunnings has introduced a ten cent charge for plastic bags and supermarket chains Progressive Enterprises and Foodstuffs have recently announced a joint campaign to cut down the number of plastic shopping bags handed out in their stores. And The Warehouse recycles plastic bags here in New Zealand.
To help you do your bit the Kaipatiki Project has joined forces with New World Birkenhead to provide free reusable shopping bags to the first 100 readers to bring this article to the Kaipatiki Project Environment Centre at 17 Lauderdale Road, Birkdale. To check if someone will be there when you call in, phone 482 1172.
Tip of the week: Keep one set of reusable shopping bags in your car, a few in the house for carrying extra items to work or school, and one folded up in your handbag. When you get home with your shopping, unload it and put the bags either straight back in the car, or by the front door. That way they will be there the next time you need them.
Quote of the week: “We need to be the change that we want to see in the world”. Mahatma Gandhi.
This article was written by the Kaipatiki Project, a community-based not-for-profit organization committed to inspiring communities to live sustainably. www.kaipatiki.org.nz
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Article by Louisa Chase - Published in the North Shore Times on Thursday July 5th 2007
The Green Column
Scrubbing leaves a clean conscience
When we choose commercial cleaning products for our homes we often have one thing in mind – how well they will clean our toilet, oven or drains. But what if besides getting rid of dirt and odours they also got rid of wildlife, caused cancer and respiratory problems and slowly poisoned our waterways and families?
The bad news is that chemical cleaners are doing just that.
Cleaning products vary in the type of health hazard they pose, but common problems include skin or respiratory irritation, chemical burns, and longer term chronic health effects such as cancer.
Once we rinse these products down our sinks and toilets they are treated at wastewater plants. This removes some but not all of the harmful substances, leaving many to be discharged into our waterways with dire results for water quality, fish and other wildlife.
The good news is that there are cheap and easily-obtainable alternatives to chemical cleaning products. Some will already be in your kitchen cupboards or even in your garden.
Baking soda, white vinegar, salt and lemons all have multiple uses around the home. There are countless sites on the internet with information about chemical-free cleaning.
You may need to scrub a bit harder with some of them, but it’s great for toning your arms!
If you prefer to buy ready-made cleaning products there are plenty of companies offering environmentally-friendly alternatives that are better for your family’s health too.
There are plenty to choose from, so why not give it a try?
Tip of the week: Clean your sinks, bath and shower with a paste of baking soda on a damp cloth. It’s cheap, effective and won’t harm you or the environment.
Quote of the week: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” Dr. Seuss.
This article is by the community-based non-profit Kaipatiki Project, which is committed to inspiring communities to live sustainably. www.kaipatiki.org.nz
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Article by Louisa Chase - Published in the North Shore Times on Thursday June 21st 2007
Try making your life chemical-free
Have you ever tried rubbing fresh garlic on your heel? The answer is probably no for most people, but if you have you will know that around half an hour later you can taste it in your mouth. That is pretty conclusive evidence that what we put on our skin is absorbed by our bodies.
So why do we pay so little attention to what we put on our skin every day? It is estimated that women absorb up to 2kg of chemicals through their skin every year. Some of the chemicals in our much-loved lotions and potions are suspected of being carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, as well as being known skin irritants. Contrary to popular belief there is very little regulation of the use of these chemicals in personal care products. Recent research has also shown they have a negative effect on our environment.
So maybe it’s time to re-examine the bottles on our bathroom shelves and replace them with choices which are better for our bodies and our surroundings. There are books and websites which can help you to do just that. Try North Shore company www.creativewellbeing.com or their excellent book “About Face” by Kim Morrison and Fleur Whelligan.
Some chemical free products such as the New Zealand “Living Nature” range are available at Farmers and your local pharmacy. Other brands can be found in shops such as “Naturally Organic” in Albany or “IE Produce” in Takapuna. If they seem more expensive, just remember that you often need to use less of them. And anyway, you’re worth it!
Tip of the week: Try replacing just one product that you use daily (such as moisturizer or lipstick) with a chemical-free alternative to reduce the chemical load on your body and the environment.
Quote of the week: “Many fine things can be done in a day if you don’t always make that day tomorrow”. Anon.
This column is written by the Kaipatiki Project, a community-based not-for-profit organization committed to inspiring communities to live sustainably. www.kaipatiki.org.nz
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Article by Louisa Chase - Published in the North Shore Times on Thursday June 7th 2007
Save energy and improve your health
Last week saw temperatures dropping as low as six degrees celsius overnight. So are we finally into the season of heating bill horror? Our long mild autumn has lulled us into a false sense of security, but now that colder days and nights are upon us we return to the perennial question of how to keep our homes warm without costing the earth. Let's take it from the top!
According to Greenpeace research, insulating your ceiling can save you up to $400 per year by stopping up to 34% of your heat escaping. They recommend other easy- to-do measures such as making door snakes to stop draughts as well as using timers and thermostats on heaters to reduce power bills. But the benefits don't end there.
The World Health Organisation states that an indoor temperature of below sixteen degrees Celsius leads to increased risk of respiratory diseases. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand (www.asthmanz.co.nz) quotes recent research by the Wellington School of Medicine which involved retrofitting properties with a standard package of ceiling insulation, draught-stopping around windows and doors, under-floor insulation and a polyethylene covering over the ground under the house. The study involved 1400 households.
The findings were that not only did the households use 23% less power, but there also was an improvement in self-reported health, a significant decrease in time off work and school, and a significant and positive difference in the number of visits to hospitals made by adults.
For more energy saving advice, the Kaipatiki Project runs regular local courses on how to save on your energy bills. A course on solar water heating is also available. For more information or to book, simply phone them on 482 1172.
Further tips can be found at www.cleanenergyguide.org.nz and www.eeca.govt.nz
Tip of the week: Change your regular light bulbs for energy efficient ones to help reduce power bills. These start at around $3 each from most supermarkets and DIY stores, and can save you around $13.80 per year. They use 20% of the energy of a normal light bulb and last much longer. Replacing just five standard light bulbs in your house could save you up to $79 per year.
Quote of the week: “Great acts are made up of small deeds” Lao Tzu – Chinese philosopher 600BC – 531BC
The Kaipatiki Project is a community-based not-for-profit organization committed to inspiring communities to live sustainably. www.kaipatiki.org.nz
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Article by Louisa Chase - Published in the North Shore Times on Tuesday May 22nd 2007
Helpful hints to make the world a better place
Does all this talk of global warming, carbon trading, and waste reduction make your head hurt? Are you in a spin about whether to buy fair trade, local, or organic produce? Has ‘Wa$ted' got you worried about your household footprint? Where on earth do you start with all this environmental stuff?
The Kaipatiki column, brought to you by the Birkdale-based Kaipatiki Project, aims to provide accessible advice on how we can all make small changes within our own lives and communities that, collectively, will start to make a real difference. We'll give you information on local businesses and schemes that can help you to make more environmentally-friendly choices. And we'll bring it to you right here in your local newspaper.
We are not going to suggest that you sell your car and buy a bike, tear up your lawn to make space for an organic veggie garden, and spend your spare time hugging trees. But we will let you know how to reduce the amount of chemicals you are exposed to everyday, with health as well as financial and environmental benefits. We will provide tips on how to reduce your power bills and on how to reduce your share of landfill waste. We will bring you local information on how to make the North Shore a healthier, more sustainable and even greater place to live.
Every column will include one top tip for making a small but significant change, along with a quote of the week for inspiration. So watch this space, and remember…..think global, act local!
Tip of the week: Start composting! It will reduce the amount of kitchen waste you send to landfill and make lovely free nutritious compost for your garden. Find out how at a composting course and get a free compost bin or worm farm. For more information phone 482 1172 or visit the Kaipatiki website.
Quote of the week: Manaaki Whenua, Manaaki Tangata, Haere whakamua. Care for the land, Care for the people, Go forward. (Maori proverb)
The Kaipatiki Project is a community-based not-for-profit organization committed to inspiring communities to live sustainably. www.kaipatiki.org.nz
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