Buy Organic

The United Nations Environment Programme has started a campaign to get people to plant at least a billion trees in 2007. The campaign for pledges started this month and already more than 65.5 million trees have been pledged.

There are a number of advantages to planting trees:

1. To reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the air.
2. To prevent and/or reduce soil erosion and landslides.
3. To provide habitat for local animals and birds.
4. To stabilise water resources.
5. To provide shade.

Although one billion trees won’t replace anywhere near all those that have been lost, it is a start, and hopefully this campaign will interest people enough for them to want to continue with it every year. If we did want to replace all the trees which have been cut down over the past 10 years, we would have to plant 14 billion trees.

The campaign encourages the planting of native trees which are suitable for the local environment. Both individuals and organisations can make a pledge from 1 tree up to 10 million trees. It is up to those making the pledge to follow through and plant the trees.

The UNEP provides steps on how to plant a tree:

1. Dig a hole at least twice the width of the root ball to allow the roots to spread out. Remove the tree from its container, carefully cut off broken roots, and slightly loosen the root ball.
2. Place the tree in the planting hole. Always lift the tree by the root ball and never by the trunk. Spread periphery roots outwards. Avoid planting the tree too deep. Make sure that the soil line of the young tree is higher than the surface of the surrounding hole.
3. Shovel some soil into the planting hole. Check the planting depth and adjust if needed. Confirm that the tree is straight. Fill the hole gently but firmly. Pat the soil around the base of the root ball.
4. It is not recommended to apply fertiliser at the time of planting. Water the seedling thoroughly with a slow stream of water the settle the soil. Do not stake the tree. The sooner the tree can stand alone, the sooner it will become strong.
5. If suitable, space trees well to avoid competition for air and soil nutrients, and to encourage the growth of branches. Watch out for drought conditions and provide water if needed, especially during the first few months.

Fill in the form to make your pledge and encourage others to do so.

Avoid the many toxic chemicals found in regular household cleaners by making your own eco friendly window cleaner. This is very easy to make and can be kept indefinitely in a plastic spray bottle. Thanks to CHECBlog for the recipe:

• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 tsp liquid soap
• 2 cups water

Place all the ingredients in a plastic spray bottle, shake until well mixed, and you’re ready to clean your windows and mirrors.

Naturally, if you want an organic window cleaner just use organic vinegar and organic liquid soap.

It would be great if every bakery had at least a couple of organic breads for sale. Unfortunately, that’s not the case and you often have to go to a specialised organic bakery. That’s fine if you live close by to an organic bakery but not many people will travel far every day just for a loaf of bread and it doesn’t make sense to do so.

Thankfully, Sydney does have a number of organic bakeries and there are some outside of Sydney as well. I’ve listed some below but as I’m not from Sydney, please add any other bakeries you know of which sell organic bread and/or cakes. Just leave the name and address of the bakery in a comment.

Bakehouse on Wentworth
52 Katoomba Street
Katoomba NSW

Bakehouse on Wentworth
206 The Mall
Leura NSW

Bakehouse on Wentworth
12 Sale Street
Orange NSW

Bakehouse on Wentworth
209 Macquarie Road
Springwood NSW

Bill’s Organic Bread
77 Munibung Road
Cardiss NSW

Bourke Street Bakery
633 Bourke Street
Surry Hills NSW

Infinity Sourdough
225 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW

La Tartine
111 Wisemans Ferry Road
Somersby NSW

Naturis Organic Bread
Paton Place
Balgowlah NSW

Old Time Bakery
53 Rockwood Road
Yagoona NSW

Sourdough House Bakery
9 Argyle Street
Arncliffe NSW

Organic bread is delicious and healthy, especially knowing it is free of pesticides, herbicides, and artificial preservatives and additives. There are a number of organic bakeries in Victoria, and especially in Melbourne, which are worth visiting for their wide variety of organic breads.

These are just a few examples of organic bakeries in Victoria. There are surely more so please add them in the comments.

Baker Chirico
149 Fitzroy Street
St Kilda VIC

Himalaya Bakery
73 Vincent Street
Daylesford VIC

Hope Farm Breads
38 Monro Avenue
Edithvale VIC

Purebread Bakery
114 Union Road
Surrey Hills VIC

Vegetable Creations
46 Dandenong Road
Dandenong VIC

Some bakeries offer the option of both organic and conventional bread. If you have a favourite baker near you who doesn’t offer organic bread then why not ask them to make it for you. If they try it and it’s popular then they are sure to continue making it. You then won’t have to travel far for your organic produce.

For many people, a mobile phone is a must have item and it is common for people to upgrade their phones every 12 to 18 months. Only around 4% of Australians recycle their phones meaning there are an awful lot of phones lying around unused. In fact, it’s estimated that around 12 million phones are stored in cupboards and draws for no reason.

Mobile Muster is Australia’s biggest mobile phone recycler having already recycled more than 350 tonnes of mobile phones. Here are a number of reasons why you might want to recycle your old mobile phone:

• prevent pollution and protect our environment
• minimise solid and hazardous waste going to landfill
• recover resources to manufacture new products
• reduce the need to use raw materials and save our natural resources

Around 90% of a mobile phone can be reused to create a new product so why not dust off your old phone which is no longer being used and recycle it? Mobiles can be recycled and used in new items such as:

• batteries
• jewellery
• fences
• pallets
• other plastic or metal products

A list of retailers where you can drop of your unwanted phones can be found on the Mobile Muster website. It costs nothing to you or the retailer and as there are many drop off points around the country, it is easy to recycle your mobile phone.

Caterpillars are generally small but they sure seem to eat a lot. I find them to be one of the most difficult pests to get rid of organically. Handpicking them off your plants is probably the most environmentally friendly way of getting rid of caterpillars but it is not always effective. Whenever I’ve done this I’ve always seemed to miss one or two and then found I had no plants left the next day.

Another option with caterpillars is to just leave them alone. Let them eat what they want and you take the rest. This can work with plants such as cauliflower and broccoli. The caterpillars tend to eat the outer leaves and then leave the rest. If you are happy to share your veges, then go ahead. I don’t think this works, however, with herbs. I have a couple of green caterpillars who love my basil and they never leave any for me. Plus if you leave the caterpillars you don’t want to find one has accidentally made its way into your salad.

Getting rid of caterpillars can be a matter of trial and error. What works best will depend on they type of caterpillar and the plant affected. A few things you can try include:

• Picking them off by hand
• Place sticky bands around the base of plants
• Spray with an organic pesticide
• Do nothing

Another way to control caterpillars is to introduce predatory pests into your garden. Pests of caterpillars include:

• Frogs
• Lizards
• Wasps

If you want to spray, there are a couple of non-toxic pesticides. These may be biodegradable or organic but it’s best to read the label carefully before using them.

• B. Thuriengiensis spray
• Organic insect spray with pyrethrum such as Beat-A-Bug
• Chilli and garlic spray
• Biodegradable soap spray such as NatraSoap
• Eco Oil
• Pest Oil

Personally I think if you have such a major problem with one pest that you need to spray them then I think it’s better to just grow something else which is better suited to your environment.

The best way to prevent damage by caterpillars is to practice good organic gardening methods which will give you strong, healthy plants which can naturally fight off pests. In general it helps to:

• Companion plant
• Not plant your vegetables in rows
• Rotate your crops
• Encourage predatory insects and birds
• Build up the soil by adding compost and mulch

You will probably have heard about the recent outbreak of E. coli in the US which killed at least 3 people and infected around 200. Most of these people were hospitalised and some suffered kidney failure. The outbreak was traced to organic spinach sold in plastic bags which was probably contaminated by animal manure.

There is not a lot you can do to prevent getting infected with this disease by contaminated greens. The most you can do is wash the greens well (even if they have been washed before packaged) and cook them at a high temperature. Of course, spinach and lettuce is often eaten raw so you are taking your chances a little but this kind of serious contamination isn’t that common.

Eating home grown vegetables is a good idea but is not without risk. This article provides good tips on how to prevent E. coli from getting into your food from your home garden. Some of these tips include:

• Avoid Home Composted Manure

Manure must be heated to a temperature of at least 140 degrees to kill such pathogens as E. coli, and there’s no guarantee that backyard compost piles will reach that temperature through the natural decomposition process, which does give off heat. “Even if they do,” says Dr. LaBorde, “they might just get hot enough at the center and not around the edges.” Instead, he recommends composting leaves, grass clippings and other greens.

So it looks like it’s best to stick to using plant materials in your compost. If you want to use animal manure on your garden it is safest to buy manure from your local garden centre which has met certain standards and has been heat sterilised.

• Wear Protective Gloves and a Mask

Wearing gloves when applying compost and fertilizers and wearing a dust mask when you apply powdered fertilizers are simple, inexpensive precautions that should be routine for gardeners.

• Hygiene Matters

“The much larger hazard is cross-contamination in the kitchen,” says Dr. LaBorde. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and fresh vegetables. To keep your harvest safe, wash your hands with soap and water when you come in from the garden, and then rinse produce thoroughly.

• Protect Your Children

Kids love to help with the harvest, but as LaBorde points out, “There’s no telling what’s on their hands.” Children and those with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to E. coli infection, making it all the more important that they wash their hands and use gloves in the garden.

In summary, the best way to protect yourself and your family is to:

• Wear gloves in the garden.
• Wear a mask when using fertiliser such as blood and bone.
• Be careful (or avoid) using animal manures on your vegetables.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly with soap and water.

However, it is worth remembering this (as pointed out on Garden Rant):

There are probably far more health hazards lurking on your kitchen counter than there are in your garden.

Many Australian companies are now selling bottled water claiming to be not only pure and natural but also organic. This was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald last week:

The practice of labelling water organic – expressly banned under the national standard that defines organic produce – has been allowed to go unchecked, with the bottlers buying their credentials from the country’s largest organic certifier.

An investigation had found at least five bottlers had paid about $1100 each for authorisation by the certifier and subsequently used that authorisation to make the claims.

However, according to the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce, water cannot be produced or harvested and labelled as organic or biodynamic, and rightly so. It’s just a way for businesses to try and get a share of the growing organic food market in Australia.

It is believed that misleading labelling in the organic sector is becoming a serious problem which is leading to consumer confusion and mistrust. There is currently no standard for organic labelling. Standards Australia is hoping to rectify this in the near future with a national certification standard.

Not only is there confusion with standards within Australia but also between national and international standards. There was recent controversy regarding organic chicken exports. Australian organic chicken was banned for international export as it did not meet international organic standards, although it continues to be sold as organic in the Australian market.

Hopefully this will get sorted out before the organic industry loses all credibility.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or sometimes known as ADD) is believed to be a neurological disorder experienced by children. Symptoms include hyperactivity, forgetfulness, trouble maintaining attention, being unable to follow instructions, procrastination, not listening when spoken to, and excessive distractibility. This often leads to anxiety and stress for the child.

There are a number of possible causes of ADHD but one suggested cause is diet. Some research suggests that a lack of omega 3 fatty acids can increase the risk of your child developing ADHD. This is another reason why it is recommended that mothers breastfeed their babies for at least six months, otherwise it is difficult for the child to get fatty acids in their diet.

It has been suggested that removing artificial colours and flavours, and artificial preservatives from the child’s diet can help treat the symptoms of this disorder. Eating natural and organic food will ensure your child is not exposed to these additives as well as reducing their intake of pesticide and other chemical residues.

If you are concerned that your child is not getting all the required nutrients in their diet you might consider giving them a multivitamin especially designed for children which contains zinc and possibly an omega 3 capsule. However, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist before giving any vitamins or mineral supplements to your child.

If your child suffers from ADHD and show signs of stress and anger, you could try replacing fruit juice and soft drinks in their diet with organic green tea. Aside from the antioxidant benefits of green tea, theanine, an amino acid found naturally in tea, can produce a feeling of relaxation. Two cups of tea a day can be beneficial although you may prefer decaffeinated tea for your children.

According to the Europeans, hydroponically grown food is not organic. Hydroponics is the production of crops using mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil.

Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only, or in an inert medium such as perlite, rockwool, or gravel.

There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to growing crops in this manner.

Advantages of Hydroponics

• Soil borne diseases are virtually eliminated.
• Weeds are virtually eliminated.
• Fewer pesticides and herbicides are required.
• Less water is required.

Disadvantages of Hydroponics

• Hydroponic crops are more expensive than soil grown crops.
• Crops lack the benefits of micro-organisms in the soil.

It is interesting that it is due to the lack of soil and the nutrients it provides, the EU believes that plants grown using hydroponics are not natural or organic.

The reason why hydroponics are not allowed in EU organic production is that organic farming is a system based on the soil, in particular that plant nutrition is based on the activities of living organisms in the soil. This was discovered by the early organic researchers to be the way plants receive their nutrients in natural ecosystems.

The Soil Association is interested in ensuring that farming is both sustainable and also produces healthy food. While you might be able to make a case that certain hydroponic systems are sustainable (would have to use no agro-chemicals, as that involves great use of oil), we believe that you lose out on the health side, and probably in a major way in the long term. Intensive non-organic farming can actually be likened to hydroponics, in that the soil is used simply as a substrate for the receipt of nutrients in solution, and soil biological activity is suppressed in such circumstances.

It’s fair enough that growing plants in a nutrient solution is not natural and goes against the organic practices of building up a healthy soil with living organisms which is naturally high in nutrients. However, hydroponics does have its place in areas where soil is too poor to grow crops or where there is insufficient water to do so.