Thursday 20 November 2014

finders keepers

I'm excited to announce I'll be at the Finders Keepers markets in Sydney (Eveleigh) on 13 December and will be signing books all day. Please come and say hi! 

I'll be with Carlie Ballard, so you can check out her gorgeous (sustainable) fashion pieces at the same time. If you don't know of her label yet, check out this article I wrote for Green Lifestyle Magazine a couple of weeks ago.


Have a great rest of the week!
xxLisa

Monday 17 November 2014

celebrating

Last week the United States and China gave us something to celebrate - an agreement on limiting carbon emissions.

Wahoo!

In case you haven't been following the climate debates as closely as I have, here's the very basic rundown:
  • International climate negotiations have been at a stalemate for years as countries debate how much action they should each take. 
  • A major sticking point was that America wouldn't put a limit on its carbon emissions unless developing nations - like China - put a limit on their carbon emissions. 
  • Now China and the United States have agreed on a deal - America will cut its emissions to 26-28% of 2005 levels by 2025, and China will reach peak emissions no later than 2030.

Sure, the details need sorting out, and President Obama now has to contend with his Republican Congress, but overall, as Paul Krugman says, "a major part of the anti-environmentalist argument has just collapsed."

And in my world, this is definitely cause for celebration.

Cheers, fellas, thanks for your dedication to the environment!
(Do you think this was organic wine?)

xxLisa


Tuesday 4 November 2014

finding balance

There is a reason 'Finding Balance' is a chapter in my book - living 'sustainably' is a constant balancing act.

Don't get me wrong, there are many effortless days, when it has become routine to use all natural body and beauty products, separate my rubbish into various recycling elements and use my trusty travel pass to dash around the city via public transport.

Then there are days like these, when I find myself in an interesting eco-conundrum; the latest confusion is due to the delicious Pressed Juices store that has recently opened up in Manly.

I am seriously obsessed with these little bottles of goodness!

In addition to fashion and the environment, I have a passion for what I'll call 'health foods'. I am by no means an expert, there are plenty of other bloggers with that expertise. But I have been known to follow health food fads. First it was goji berries - I didn't love the taste but I kept tossing them into my cereal anyway. I quickly fell in love with Acai bowls (I could go for one right now, actually). And quinoa, kale and I have been in a serious relationship for awhile.


I've never been big into juicing, generally preferring to eat my fruit and veggies whole to take advantage of the fibre in the pulp. But something about the cold pressed juice craze has sparked my attention. I think it has to do with the claims of "up to 5 times more vitamins, minerals and enzymes" of other juices. Well, that, and knowing that with one green juice I can get a serious serving of leafy greens. It also helps that they are crazy delicious.


If you can't see the eco-conundrum I'm facing based on the photos I'll tell you - it's the plastic bottles. I confess I've had 4 green juices over the past 5 days, and I think I may get another one today. Yikes! That is a serious increase in my plastic consumption! Of course I am recycling the bottles, but I know that recycling plastic requires energy and the quality of the plastic is lessened with each recycle. There has to be another way!


I don't know that I'll follow this cold pressed juice craze for too long, and unsure it would be worth investing in a machine for myself. Besides, based on my schedule I don't know that I'd have the time to source all the ingredients and make myself one a day.

So, I'm afraid this isn't an eco-solution today, readers. In fact, I'm seeking your guidance. Do you have any suggestions on how I can participate in this delicious health fad without all the plastic? Or shall I just start communicating with these lovely companies, asking them for refillable containers?

xxLisa