My Kinder, Healthier and Greener Diet

Over the years of blogging, I have written a number of posts about a diet that is ‘greener’ and kinder to animals.  Reading through all those posts today, I found my journey of change interesting.  From a meat eater, to only buying free range meat, to no longer eating bacon and more recently, stopping eating all red meat.

Here are three post examples:

In July of 2008 I wrote ‘A Pig Feeling’ – not long afterwards I stopped eating bacon

In May of 2010 I wrote ‘Joe Ludwig, I’m Angry Our Cattle is Being Tortured’ – not long afterwards I stopped eating all red meat

In January of 2011 I wrote ‘Choose The Fish You Eat Wisely’ – about my decision to only eat sustainable seafood

What does my kinder, healthier and greener diet look like today?

* Still only buy and consume sustainable seafood
* 24 months on and I have not consumed red meat
* 51 months on and I have not consumed pork
* Only eat free range chicken & turkey & eggs
* Reduced by 50% the amount of diary consumed
* Growing organically in my backyard many of my own herbs, fruit and vegetables

Yes this diet is kinder on the planet and on farm animals but how is my health?  According to my doctor, my iron levels are high, cholesterol is great and I am healthier than she has ever seen me.

In conclusion I wish to thank Animals Australia for their dedication to creating a kinder world for all animals.  Their work was my inspiration to change (yesterday I decided to support them financially on a monthly commitment after watching their ‘Make It Possible’ video).

My dogs, Mini and Cooper are my constant inspiration to become a better and kinder human – thank you puppies!

Do You Really Need Cling Wrap?

Have you ever wondered what our Grandparents did before plastic?  I have pondered this very question and in doing so, have come up with simple solutions to remove single life ‘plastic’ in my life.

Firstly what is single life plastic? It is any plastic that you use once then discard e.g. shopping bags, water bottles and yes, cling wrap.

Cling wrap or as we call it here in Australia, ‘Glad Wrap’ was invented in the 1950′s and hailed as a ‘great invention for humanity’….but 60 years later can we say that statement is true?

Personally I believe the statement to be false.  If you are concerned with your own health, the health of our marine life and environment then you should consider removing or at least lowing the use of single life plastics in your life.

Here is a simple solution that I use at home, for ‘left overs’ without using cling wrap.  Turn a bowl or plate upside down and slide into the fridge.  Making a difference can be that easy.

Black Cow, Workshops and Edible Gardens

From my blog, it might appear that I have been quiet on my green journey lately, however the reality is quite the opposite.   Being, thinking and living a ‘greener’ life is so much apart of who I am now, that I no longer have to consciously remember to search out the greenest option – sustainability has become tightly linked to my beliefs, philosophies, behavior and happiness.

Don’t misunderstand, I am not for one moment saying that I have ‘arrived’ or that I am perfect.  The very reason I titled my blog ‘Greener Me’ was in recognition that sustainability is a journey of constant discovery and change.  I will be forever grateful to the journey because of the person I have become and will continue to become.

So what have I been up to?

Black Cow

Completed reading the book ‘Black Cow’ by Magdalena Ball.  The story is fictitious yet full of truth and soul searching wisdom. A family becoming consciously aware that the life they ‘wanted’ was trapping them on a constant turning treadmill. A story of facing one’s own demons in the journey of finding happiness.  The ending was not an idealistic fairy tale but truthful, honest and wise.  I just loved this book, as in many ways it echoed my own personal self-awareness journey to live a more sustainable life.

‘Green Up Your Business’ Workshop

Tomorrow night in Surrey Hills, the City of Sydney is hosting a workshop on greening up your business.  Yours truly will be one of three panelists sharing from personal and professional experience on making the workplace a more greener environment.

Edible Gardens Update

The group that I co-founded, The Green Square Growers, have been busy again with their 2nd community garden patch installation.  It might of been a cold, windy and wet Sydney Sunday but the community came out in full force to support the project.  You can find the newest garden patch at Joynton Park on Gadigal Ave in Zetland (near the BBQ’s).  Go and pick some basil for your dinner!  Here are some photos of the event.

Choose For a Future Full of Fish

Recently I returned from a photographic Alaskan adventure.  To witness Sea Lions, Humpback and Orca Whales in the wild (as well as Brown Bears and Bald Eagles) was just beautiful and moving.  It again was an important reminder to treasure our oceans and to personally take responsibility for my own lifestyle’s impact on the environment.   Check out more of my Alaskan images at Sarhn McArthur Photography.

There have been two very simple lifestyle changes, I personally have made which will make a positive difference to the health of our oceans.  Firstly, I have limited the amount of ‘single life’ plastic bags in my life i.e. next time you go shopping, say “No thank you” to accepting plastic shopping bags. Check out Tim Silverwood’s blog for more ways to help clean up our oceans of plastic (Tim is an environmentalist – a plastic pollution educating legend).

The second way to very easily make a positive difference to the health of our oceans, is to choose fish you buy wisely.   This is a topic I have blogged about before, which is probably why Taronga Zoo invited me to experience their ‘fish 4 life’ program yesterday.

Despite the gloomy Sydney weather, Brett & I thoroughly enjoyed our ‘Sea lion’ encounter and ‘fish 4 life’ education.  In fact I personally found the whole experience positive, heart felt and inspirational.

Seven years ago, the Sea Lion zoo keepers and handlers made a pack amongst themselves that they would only purchase sustainable seafood for their own consumption.  It was this commitment that inspired Taronga’s ‘fish 4 life’ program – which is all about educating people as to what seafood is best to buy to ensure there will be plenty to go around for all species and for future generations.

The message at the Sea Lion show was crystal clear, ‘your choices can make a positive difference to our marine environment’.

Brett & I were privileged to meet Nala, an Australian Sea Lion and the ‘face’ of Taronga’s ‘Fish 4 Life’ program. (above photo, bottom left: Brett & I with Nala)

Nala and Tarong’s staff educated us about the Marine Stewardship Council’s ‘Certified Sustainable Seafood’ guide (MSC for short).  With experts, the MSC developed standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. They ensure that MSC labelled seafood comes from, and can be traced back to, a sustainable fishery.  Basically they have done all the hard work, so all we need to do is look for their logo when we go grocery shopping for ocean marine seafood.

Taronga’s Facebook page can also be of assistance in finding stores near you that sell sustainable seafood. By the way, Taronga’s ‘Cafe Harbourview’ is the first cafe/restaurant in Australia to be given the MSC certification i.e. all the seafood sold is MSC certified.

It is commendable that Woolworths has partened with Taronga so to help its customers make informed decisions about the sustainability of their seafood choices purchased from their Woolworths stores.

Speaking with Woolworths Head of Sustainabiltiy yesterday, I learnt that Woolworths has introduced a pilot trial for its star rating ‘how to pick sustainable seafood’ system in four Sydney stores:

• Woolworth’s Bondi Junction store
• Woolworths’s Eastgardens store (which is where we shop)
• Two Woolworths’s Neutral Bay stores

The above ‘How to Pick Sustainable Seafood guide’ will provide Woolworths’ customers with easy to understand information on making their seafood choices.

In closing I wish to whole-heartily thank Taronga for the invitation to meet Nala, the zoo keepers and staff yesterday.  Also thank you for sharing about Taronga’s ‘Fish 4 Life’ program with us.  I highly recommend everyone visit Taronga soon and attend their free Sea Lion show – learn about the positive difference we all can make for the marine life and oceans.

Installing Community Garden Patch at Zetland, Sydney

Today with others from the Green Square Growers, I met at Joynton Park, Zetland to discuss the plans for a community garden patch being installed.

It was so inspiring to see many new faces from the local community who wanted to know what we were up to and become involved with the project.

The plans were discussed, exact location confirmed and date set for the installation.

Here are the details if you want to come on down and lend a helping hand:

Sunday the 10th of June 2012
10.30am onwards
Joynton Park, Zetland (Gadigal Ave, near the BBQ’s undercover area) Map

Check out the Green Square Growers Facebook page for all the details.