Waste watch – reduce and reuse

By Oxana   |   December 3rd, 2010   |   posted in Eco-friendly home, Green life   |   2 comments   

Adopt these three approaches, and you’ll be surprised how much you can save: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

waste watch reduce and reuse

Choosing products with little or no packaging in an easy way to reduce what comes into your home and what ends up in landfill. Reusing instead of throwing away makes economic sense – not only that, devising ways to reuse household items is fun. And whatever you put out for recycling will find its way back to you in other products.

Minimizing waste

  • Try to use paper rather than plastic bags when packing fruit and veggies for weighting
  • Make sure you take reusable bags with you when shopping and refuse plastic carry bags
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The latest update on the mixed berry muffins recipe

By Oxana   |   November 29th, 2010   |   posted in Food for life   |   no comments   

Great news! Thanks to myself I am now addicted to muffins. Today is the second time I couldn’t resist a thought of having a nice warm muffin with a large cup of cappuccino. I hesitated for a while and gave up (of course)…

mixed berry muffins recipe

This time I decided to make a tiny change in my recipe. I squeezed juice from a half of an orange, and added a half of a fresh juicy mango (mangos are now in season in Australia).

I like the results I’ve got, they taste a bit different this time, because of the orange juice, and they are a little bit more tender. Check it out yourself, but I think I will be adding orange juice in the future.

Is it just me or these muffins on the Ted’s picture look like mushrooms a little bit? :)

Food additives

By Oxana   |   November 25th, 2010   |   posted in Food for life, Green life   |   2 comments   

More than 3000 additives can be used in food processing to improve the safety, appearance, flavour and shelf life of foods. Additives must be approved by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand before they can be used, but some cause adverse reactions in certain people. Check labels carefully before you buy.

food additives

Focus on food additives

  1. All food additives must be included in the ingredient list found on product packages.
  2. Responses to food additives vary between individuals: one person may tolerate a substance that makes someone else is quite ill.
  3. Check food labels carefully of you are vegetarian or vegan. Many of the common food additives, such as emulsifiers, gelatin, glycerol and natural flavors are derived from animals.
  4. Avoid buying products with a long list of additives. These products are likely to be processed and may have low nutritional value.
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What’s in the food we eat?

By Oxana   |   November 23rd, 2010   |   posted in Food for life, Green life   |   no comments   

More than 7200 registered pesticides, herbicides and fungicides are used in agricultural production in Australia and New Zealand. While these chemicals are considered safe by regulating authorities, some have been associated with health problems.

what in the food we eat

Unless you eat only what you yourself grow, or buy certified organic produce, it’s likely that the food you buy has been produced using chemicals. Pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics are often used in farming to boost production.

There are some practical ways to help to minimize your exposure.

  • Grow your own vegetables and fruit, it’s the most reliable way of knowing that no harmful substances have been used in their production.
  • Purchase produce from farmer’s markets. While some farmers are not certified organic, them may classify themselves as “almost organic”, using natural fertilisers and minimal amounts of chemicals responsibly.
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Eating Organic

By Oxana   |   November 21st, 2010   |   posted in Food for life, Green life   |   no comments   

How can we be sure that the food we buy are the purest available, free of chemicals, drugs and modified substances? The answer is simple: choose certified organic produce.

eating organic

So, why buy Organic?

  1. Organic standards prohibit the use of the synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that are used in conventional farming. They also forbid genetic modification as well as the dosing of animals with antibiotics and growth hormones.
  2. Organic agriculture allows fewer dangerous wastes into the environment than conventional farming. Run-off from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides contaminates waterways and pollutes drinking water. Many birds, animals and insects die because they eaten plants that have been sprayed with chemicals or because they have consumed chemicals themselves, either directly or through the food chain.
  3. Read More
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