Hulbert Street Sustainability Fiesta 2012

Posted in Life of Olive, Media, Perth by Olive on Blonde

The annual Hulbert Street Sustainability Fiesta is clearly becoming a beautiful tradition for many West Aussie families! Held every September it is a massive celebration of those that have chosen to tread lighter on the planet. Whether you are looking for ideas on how to make your home a bit greener, tools that can make ‘eco choices’ a bit more accessible or you just want to get down and celebrate with good company, food and music – Hulbert Street has you covered. Here are some of my highlights from the day.

For a gold coin donation you are permitted entry into the festival and we were met with a sustainable red carpet! Anyone who chose to ride to the festival received the star treatment… a valeted bike parking service, complete with people cheering them down the red runway. I spoke to Rebecca from Freo Cycle Chic (she is also a professional Earthcarer!) and on their first day they parked a massive 150 bikes and judging by the growing queue they would be surpassing that record for the Sunday.

There was loads of music and entertainment throughout the day including belly-dancing, singing, ukulele players as well as… well, I don’t know what you call this particular type of music so I will just call it ‘Plinky Plonky’ Music! Awesome atmosphere.

We then stumbled upon the Sustainabilitree (my favorite bit of the day). On recycled card love hearts people were asked to write down their green hopes and dreams and then tie them onto the branches of the tree. Not only did the tree look absolutely fabulous but it gave your heart that nice fuzzy feeling just reading all the comments. I get to meet my daughter in 9 weeks and I have always wanted to make a tradition where every morning she writes down something that she is grateful for! After seeing the Sustainabilitree I have decided that this will be how we do it and we will have our own magic tree in the home which we can use to cheer us up and remind us of how lucky we are.

Mine and my dear friend Kat’s ‘heart leaves’

There were also loads of yummy places and things to eat. There was a small fruit juice stand manned completely by under 12′s and they were making an absolute packet. For 50cents you good get a freshly squeezed, homegrown juice (Limeade was amazing) in a reusable plastic cup. After you finished your drink the little greenies washed up the cups and the cycle continued on. A traditional lemonade stand without those nasty single-use plastic cups.

Gorgeous hubby supping away on his Blood Orange and Tangello Juice in a reusable cup!

There were all sorts of amazing cuisines from El Salvadorian food (Tamales and Pupusa’s) to Spanish Quesadilla’s full of spinach and kidney beans and covered in herbs AKA yummy flat things with yummy things on top. But my fave of the day was the all natural icy poles. They had the most amazing flavours from Raspberry and Hibiscus, Salted Caramel and (the absolute winner in my books!) Cucumber, Lime and Chilli. Flavour explosion!

Orange and Rose vs. Cucumber Lime and Chilli… I WIN!

All along the street were educational stalls which not only had the adults looking but seemed to have so many kids interested as well! I feel like I am officially getting old when I start commenting on how great it is to see young kids getting so interested in living sustainably. But hell – get me my walking cane and tea cosy…. if that makes me old I am cool with it. Taking of awesome older folk, I also spied the cutest Sunday Best hats ever…

A young chap pondering the importance of renewable energy!

And of course there were also the Hulbert Street House Tours. Homes literally opened up their doors allowing anyone and everyone inside to inspect how they live and provide inspiration for people to draw upon for their own homes. From edible landscapes to underground water tanks (for particularly squishy urban blocks) these homes really demonstrate that you don’t need to live on a massive plot of land to become largely self-sustaining!

An idea that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED and hope to be able to implement on my own street one day was the book exchange. What a great way to bring a community together and instill a feeling of trust amongst it! Just a simple tin shed, full of books that anyone can borrow at any time. Functioning off a self monitored Honesty Policy I think it may just be the cutest library I have ever visited.

And on top of all that it was just a lovely place to be with family and friends. We were lucky enough to spend with day with a super gorgeous family comprised of my very dear friend Kat (from Eco Empire), her fusband and her mischievous little 4-month Fox. We were able to roam the streets and I even managed to get a roadside tutorial from her about Cloth Nappies – yep, I had never seen (let alone changed) a real life nappy before! I am about to get a baptism of fire. All in all it was a fabulous day. If you haven’t gotten down there before I sincerely recommend you block out some time for next year. It is a wonderful event that really renews your passion and hope in community togetherness.

Me and Kat

A very cute fam!

Oh… neck tickles are just the best!

With my lovebug.

Oh and word to the wise… do not leave anything unattended or you run the risk of … YARN BOMBING.

7Aug2012

Radio Interview with RTR FM – Living Plastic Free

Posted in Environment, Issues, Media, Perth by Olive on Blonde

Sorry about the illustration quality… a quick lunchtime squiggle then rendered with a very outdated Paint program! :)

As I explained in yesterday’s post, I was recently contacted by RTR FM Presenter Peter Barr (Breakfast with Barr) wondering if I would come down to the studio to discuss Plastic Free July. My nerves almost got the better of me but in the end I am so glad I went in and had a chat. Beyond that I am so excited that living plastic free is on the radar!

If you would like to hear the interview the links are below;

Listen - Click here and then click the Listen hyperlink

Transcript - Found here!

Interview Introduction – here

6Aug2012

Olive on… Radio?

Posted in Media, Perth by Olive on Blonde

So… I bet you were thinking that now that we are in August my incessant blogging about Plastic Free July would stop? I apologise but it is set to continue for just a smidge longer… though on a different medium this time at least!

On Friday I was emailed by a lovely fellow named Peter Barr, kindly congratulating me on my month of being Plastic Free. What makes this email particularly blog-worthy though is that Peter Barr is the morning presenter on RTR FM (92.1fm) – an independent radio station here in Perth. Much to my surprise (and horror) he has invited me into the Breakfast With Barr studio to chat about the experience and (hopefully) inspire a few people to rethink their plastic habits.

I am ridiculously nervous about the whole affair and shortly after reading the email seriously considered running for the hills… naked and screaming. It just seemed like the right thing to do. But sanity prevailed (this time at least) and I reminded myself that the reason I created this blog in the first place was to start conversations about our habits, create a bit of an online community of information sharing, perhaps offer easy solutions and maybe even (if I really tried hard enough) encourage people to give these little changes a go in their own lives. So I decided that I really had to face my fear of public speaking and jump in.

Every man, through fear, mugs his aspirations a dozen times a day.

~Brendan Francis

Details

The interview was held Tuesday, 7th August 2012 as 8:30am WST on 92.1FM.

Listen to the Interview

The interview has been and gone and I can safely report that it went very well indeed. If you would like to hear a recording of it just click here to get all the links.

Thanks!

21Jun2012

That Sophie Monk Ad: Am I Insane?

Posted in Animals, Issues, Media by Olive on Blonde

Around the water cooler this week there is a lot of talk about that Sophie Monk / Lynx advert. If you have 3 minutes of your life that you don’t particularly care about you can see the ad here. Mama Mia questioned whether it was clever or crass. SMH shrewdly analysed the hypocrisy of Unilever: a corporation that feeds highly sexualised young women to hungry males with one hand (Lynx) and then claim to empower the women that they have just served up with the other (Dove ‘love your body’). Anti-sexploitation campaigners (such as Collective Shout) are calling for consumers to boycott any products that fall under the Unilever umbrella. And now this lowly blogger poses a question to you;

Am I insane or is everyone mad about the wrong thing?!

Yes, the ad is sexist, ageist and racist but giving the Wash Your Balls campaign the attention it is so desperately craving does nothing but encourage those crafty advertising creatives to go one step further next time (please refer United Colours of Benetton circa 1980’s). Stop talking about it and it will go away. What cannot be disregarded is the key to this companies undoing – the type of controversy that cannot be manipulated to garner free publicity (the good kind, anyway). Yet this is the information that is being ignored the loudest!

Unilever Supports Animal Testing

Unilever test their products on animals such as dogs, cats, pigs, monkeys, rabbits and rats. These animals are locked in small cages for their entire lives where their only respites are the times that they are tested upon. Ingredients and finished products are tested on animals using a variety of methods which include;

The Draize Eye Test

The toxic substance is dripped under the lower eyelids of rabbits who are then monitored for their reactions.

The Draize Skin Irritancy Test

Animals are put into full body restraints where their fur is shaved and their skin is applied with the ‘irritant’ for a period of 4 hours to verify whether the product is corrosive – displayed through redness, burns or blistering.

The Lethal Dose Test

The lethal dose test measures the amount of a toxic substance that will, in a single dose, kill a certain percentage of animals in a test group. “To avoid interference with results,” no painkillers are administered. During a lethal dose test, the experimental substance is forced into the animals’ throats or is pumped into their stomachs by a tube, sometimes causing death by stomach rupture or from the sheer bulk of the chemical dosage. Substances also are injected under the skin, into a vein, or into the peritoneal lining of the abdomen; they are also often applied to the eyes, rectum, or vagina, or forcibly inhaled through a gas mask.

Please keep in mind that several hundred animals may be used for every substance that is tested. Unilever also chooses to test products that are not legally required to undergo any form of testing.

I am not into shock tactics BUT I do think that everyone needs to see the reality of animal testing. Below is a PETA video called ‘Testing 1, 2, 3…”. If you have not made the link between animal cruelty and the products that you buy please be brave and take the time to watch it;

What Can You Do?

There are two very simple steps that every one can take to end this cruelty.

Boycott any companies that test on animals. If you are not sure PETA has this handy online sources where you can type in the brand/company and see for yourself. Click here to use it.
Tell them about it!!! Write to the company and tell them exactly why you are taking your hard-earned cash elsewhere. Get your friends and family to. Forward details to everyone you know. The more they hear the more likely it is they will change. Corporations listen when something affects their bottom line.

In the end it all comes down to Consumer Power – vote with your dollar and all of a sudden people start listening.

Brands To Avoid… (some will shock you)

It can be hard to discern which brands fall under which companies. Here is the Unilever ‘brand wagon’ that you should avoid if you do not want to support animal cruelty;

Backwards

This is happening day-in and day-out yet the only reason Unilever are in the news today is because they scripted a tacky advert with a whole lot of juvenile double entendres. Yes, it pushes some fairly lack-lustre ideals on an impressionable youth but surely disregarding the barbaric torture of defenseless animals is the more deplorable of the two? I am in no way trying to trivialize the massive and scary issue that is sexism. Then again, I do sometimes feel that we need to apply some Never Ending Story logic to it and let The Nothing swallow it up; ignore the non-consequential assaults like this ridiculous advert and focus our energy onto real injustices. We can all turn off the TV and this ad goes away. It is a very different story for the millions of animals that are tortured and killed each year in the name of cosmetics.

Take a stand for something important today- Boycott any companies that animal test!

30May2012

Perth Green Events – June 2012

Posted in Media, Perth by Olive on Blonde

I really do get so excited when I see Perth continually bringing awesome eco events to it’s stage. There seem to be so many fantastic community-driven activities to get involved in nowadays that it really gives you hope that the green change is coming. So I thought I would combine them all onto the one post for convenience. If you know of any that I have missed please either email me on oliveonblonde@gmail.com or leave a comment below. And if you attend any events I’d love to hear your feedback too! Get inspired…

1^st June – Movie Night screening ‘Growing Change’

When - Friday, 1^st June: Arrive and get seated at 7pm, movie commences at 7:30pm

Where - Naregebup Environmental Centre. 49 Safety Bay Road, (Opposite Lake Richmond), Rockingham

Bring - A plate of food to share, a snuggle rug and dress for winter.

Cost - Gold coin donation.

Go check out this inspiring documentary about Venezuela’s Food Revolution. Venezuela is conducting one of the most exciting experiments in the world: to grow a fair and sustainable food system. Throughout the documentary you will journey with the filmmaker through fishing villages, cocoa plantations and urban gardens all the while examining this growing social movement – a movement that is proving that communities can triumph over corporations.

If you would like more information about the event contact 08 9591 3077.

5th June – Eco Design and Renovation Workshop

When - Tuesday, 5^thJune. 7pm – 8:30pm

Where - Flinders Park Community Hall, Hillarys (See the map here)

Cost - Free.

Josh Byrne: Picture courtesy of ABC Gardening Australia

A great event to learn about retrofitting, renovations and renewable energy. As part of the Think Green Energy Workshops series ABC TV Gardening Australia Presenter, Josh Byrne, will demonstrate how you can use passive solar design to keep your existing home, renovation or new building project comfortable all year round.

Bookings are essential. Register via email at info@joondalup.wa.gov.au or call 9400 4527.

8^th June – Photographic Exhibition and Fundraiser for the animals of Bali: ‘Look Twice’

When - Friday, 8^th June. 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Where - Tompkins Park Function Centre. Cnr of Dunkley Avenue and Canning Highway, Alfred Cove. (See the map here)

Cost – Free entry. Pay as you go bar facilities.

An excerpt from the event Facebook page says “The ‘Look Twice’ exhibition showcases the animals of Bali as never seen before. These uplifting and poignantly beautiful images reveal their strength and spirit, and are a testament to the valuable work undertaken to save their lives. You will fall in love with every one”.

Last year I blogged about my visit to BAWA (Bali Animal Welfare Association); the animals, people and philosophy of this tireless organisation stole my heart. 100% of the profits goes to BAWA which is funded entirely by individual donations, fundraisers and volunteers. The artworks are for sale and there will also a fabulous silent auction donated by generous local businesses.

The animals of Bali are extremely vulnerable and their suffering can be huge. If you want to learn more, I wrote about what the dogs alone are up against in their daily fight for survival. It was devastating to see but SO inspiring to see what the people over there are doing to support the animals! If you choose one event to support this month, please let it be this one.

(Here is the link to the BAW Facebook page. They give frequent updates on the characters that are rescued and inspiring acts of kindness from people touched by the animals plight. Everyone loves a happy story).

Ceewee – a Bali dog that I met at the BAWA head office.

14^th – 16^th June – Human Rights Arts and Film Festival

When - Thursday 14^th – Saturday 16^th June. Varied – see timetable.

Where - Luna Cinema Paradiso. 164 James Street, Northbridge WA

Cost - Tickets range in price – approx. $16

When you combine a whole lot of award-winning films/documentaries with a worthy cause you can’t really lose? The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival is being run across Australia this month and is coming to Perth as well. See the Perth section of the website here for detailed timetables and to purchase tickets as well.

My not-to-be-missed choices are The Island President and Buffalo Girls:

The Island President: documents the President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, as he campaigns for the world to recognise that his nation (consisting of almost 2000 islands) is facing extinction at the hands of climate change. The backdrop of the film is the United Nation’s 2009 climate summit in Copenhagen where Nasheed is very much a small fish in a big pond. This documentary drives home the point that our actions are affecting the entire world, including some of our most vulnerable people. This multi-award winning film (including Toronto International Film Festival 2011) is paced by a breath-taking Radiohead score, just in case you needed more convincing to see it!

Buffalo Girls: reveals a growing issue in developing countries that I had no idea even existed! In Thailand it is currently estimated that up to 30,000 children are involved in underground child-boxing tournaments to win money to support their poverty-stricken families. Following two eight-year old girls (Stam and Pet) film director Todd Kellstein wrestles with an increasingly common question that plagues human rights campaigners for developing nations – is this pathway exploitative or empowering?

15^th June – Movie Night Screening of ‘Bag It’

When - Friday, 15^th June. 6:30pm (if you want dinner) – 9pm

Where - Replants. 96 Wray Avenue (Near cnr of Wray Ave and Hampton Road – the west side)

Bring – Food, drink, chairs, blankets, pillows – anything that will take you to comfy town!

Cost - $5 for entry. $10 vego meal available.

This is a documentary about an ordinary guy who looked around one day and realised – ‘Wow. I have a lot of plastic in my life’. So he set himself a simple goal – to stop using plastic bags at the grocery store. This simple goal turned into an inspiring documentary that proves that you don’t need to be a scientist, politician or lawyer to use a little bit of knowledge to make a whole lot of difference. Take a look around. Is your life too plastic? Do you want to make a change? Get inspired!

16^th June – Plastic Free July Workshop

When – Saturday, 16^th June. 1pm – 3:30pm

Where - Perth City Farm. 1 City Farm Place, Perth

Cost - Free – as long as you are registered for Plastic Free July (click here if you aren’t)

It is about time that you start getting yourself excited and prepared for Plastic Free July. A group of Perth’s Metropolitan Regional Councils (Eastern, Western and Central) have banded together with the Earth Carers to host this informative session to get you ready for you month free of polymer! There will be plastic free demonstrations, hands on activities and tips and tricks from those in the know. It is being held at Perth City Farm to which is an experience to visit in itself!

The event is open to anyone registered for Plastic Free July (and you are welcome to bring a friend) but RSVP’s are essential. Either call Amy or Rebecca on 9384 4003 or email Earth Carers – earthcarers@wmrc.wa.gov.au

There is also a Facebook page for the event (here) and Plastic Free July (here)!

17^th June – Children’s Forest Planting Day

When - Sunday, 16^th June. 10am – 1pm

Where - Whiteman Park. Park Entrance off Lord Street, Perth (map here)

Cost - Free.

What a great way to get your kids interested in conservation and nature. Men of the Trees are hosting the annual Children’s Forest Planting Day where you can bring your family to this absolutely gorgeous community forest for a bite to eat, free entertainment and to help by planting native seedlings in the twelfth stage of the forest! If anything is going to get kids passionate about the environment it’s mud and this is a great interactive way where they can get their hands dirty and have some fun.

For more information either call 9250 1888 or see this link.

21^st June – Movie Night Screening of ‘Bag It’

When - Thursday, 21^st June. 6:45pm – 8:15pm

Where - Presbyterian Ladies College. 14 McNeil Street, Peppermint Grove

30^th June – Wholefood Cooking with Jude Blereau (Plastic Free July)

When - Saturday, 30^th June. 1pm – 3pm

Where - The Grove Community Centre. 1 Leake St Peppermint Grove

Cost - Free – as long as you are registered for Plastic Free July (if not click here)

This is your last chance to get informed before your month of being Plastic Free starts! But if you are feeling a little worried then come and meet renowned Perth Wholefood Chef Jude Blereau (see her inspiring blog here) who will teach you how to shop, prepare and cook food with NO disposable plastic packaging. Learn and be surprised.

RSVP’s are essential – email on rsvp@wrmc.wa.gov.au or call on 9384 4003

There is also a Facebook page for the event here.

You may have also seen Jude’s book around…

21May2012

Big News, Little Facelift and A Whole New View

Posted in Eco Home, Life of Olive, Media by Olive on Blonde

Well it has been quite a while since I got my blogging clogs on… two whole months in fact. And my, my how much can change in such a short time! Firstly, I’d like to say thanks to all the little emails and messages that I got, checking I was still alive and greening. I am! And after a two month interlude I feel that not only should I give a bit of an explanation on where the hell I’ve been but also a re-launch of sorts. I am taking the blog in a slightly different direction and wanted to explain how I got there and the little journey I have been on.

The Big News

Back in March I started feeling really sick and really tired. There are some fairly obvious deductions a young lady can make about those symptoms and after a quick dash to the chemist it was confirmed – we are expecting a little bundle of joy! My gorgeous husband and I are ridiculously excited about the bub but I have encountered one not-so-tiny drawback… morning sickness. Except it was actually all-day-all-night sickness! This is not the type of green I like to promote on my blog! So even though I have been dying to update my blog I have been completely incapacitated. My amazing husband has seriously picked up the slack and has basically spent the past few weeks carting in buckets and buckets of raspberries – Hero! Slowly, slowly it is starting to get better though so it is onwards and outwards from here my friends!

Nicknamed Yertle.

The Move

In some weird collision of fate my little family has made the move back into the home we own rather than our gorgeous shabby rental in Freo. The timing was partly perfect (due to the impending expansion of our brood) but also a tad upsetting as Secret Harbour is a decidedly less eco suburb. I have moved past the devastation though and I am now actually really excited about this new challenge! In Fremantle it is expected and oh, so easy to be environmentally friendly. Don’t get me wrong, that is fab, but my blog is about encouraging people to be sustainable which includes a large amount of people who may not have all the resources conveniently at their fingertips! I am now one of those people. I will be constantly reminded about how hard choosing the more sustainable, ethical option can be for some people and therefore will make sure I give as many options, ideas and resources as possible.

We have set sail for the coast.

What does this all mean for the blog?

Even though I have been splitting my time between moving house and vomiting (charming beast aren’t it?) it has, in a way, been great having a bit of time away from the blog. It has given me time to look from afar, think about what I enjoy writing about most, seeing which posts you guys like reading the most and just pondering how I want to approach life in general. Here is what I came up with…

Health Focus (With Occasional Baby Bits)

I want to make my house the perfect healthy environment for a little munchkin to grow up in which for me equates to no chemicals, organic food and a happy lifestyle. And – according to Mrs Obama – that means being selfish and looking after myself! This is a new concept to me. So I am looking forward to exploring and experimenting with natural therapies, meditation, yoga, spending time outdoors, possibly throwing away the TV and cooking foods from scratch. And updating my blog with the progress of course.

More DIY and Upcycling

Now that I am in my own home I am able to renovate, retrofit and plant! I have so many projects that I just didn’t have space for in the last place so I am really excited to now have the ability. Hopefully I can give ideas on simple DIY ways to be more sustainable (eg; growing your own food) as well as fun ways to reduce your impact (like making your own products, furniture and art). I will also commit to using as many (if not all) recycled and reclaimed materials rather than just being one of those craft blogs that just goes out and buys everything new!

Bunting… or “Funting” if you will?

And Finally…

In keeping with the selfish theme I am just going to start enjoying life a bit more. Get out there exploring (with my camera always in tow so that I can share my virtual picture album). Be happy. Read some books. Draw. Smooch my husband a bit more. Take the scenic route. Marvel at simple beautiful things… like strawberries! Choose some crazy wallpaper just because it makes me laugh. Read Dr Seuss every day. Judge less. Do more for animals. Finally, hug that Boab in Kings Park (his name is George). Celebrate the good that is being done rather than mourning all the bad. I have come to the conclusion that a smile will change a lot more minds than a big, ranting frown will! So here goes.

Barefoot and without a care in the world.

P.S. Just in case you are wondering what the inspiration is behind this sudden perspective change then please take some time out and watch the video below. Alice Herz Sommer provided me with a virtual kick in the arse. When I’m 108 I want to be just like her…

“I look where it is good. I know about the bad, but I look at the good thing”

- Alice Herz Sommer, Happiest Woman In The World!

Olive on Blonde

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