Starting a family....things to consider to be sustainable

Brindabella Baby is all about a better world for babies. Everything in our Lonsdale Street store is eco-friendly and fair trade. We have the widest range of modern cloth nappies in Canberra, as well as biodegradable and flushable disposables. We also have Canberra's best range of quality baby carriers and slings, with demonstration models to try on. Plus fair trade baby clothing, toys, and books by local authors. With nine month no-deposit lay-buy, and gift registry for baby showers, it's easy to make ethical and sustainable choices.
Six month old Billy wearing a green Bumwear nappy - reusable and made
under ethically fair working conditions.

Emma Davidson
02 6176 1400
0411 449 524
www.brindabellababy.com.au

A bit of brain food

It seems that there are many shades of green when it comes to establishing a green policy, but it has its benefits, and its not all about the environment!

Every little bit helps...Whilst searching the internet we came across many ways to help the environment but we love simplicity so here's a few to think about:


Refuse (consumerism)
Reduce
Re-use
Repair
Recycle

Now even Bob the Builder uses eat least 3 of those!

Seriously, though if you are considering changing the way your live and work then maybe consider the following:

Environmental Management System (EMS)

What is ISO, ISO 14000 and ISO 14001?

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards.

ISO 14000 is a series of international standards that have been developed to incorporate environmental aspects into business operations and product standards.

ISO 14001 is a specific international standard for a management system designed to minimise an organisation’s impact on the environment.

The ISO 14001 methodology is a systematic approach for continually improving environmental management through identification and evaluation of aspects and impacts, development of objectives and measurable targets, implementation of programs, and on-going monitoring and review.

What are the Benefits of Implementing an Environmental Management System?

1. Pollution prevention and waste reduction opportunities.
2. Profit in market for "Green Products”
3. Reduced consumption of natural resources and energy
4. Minimisation of environmental liability and risk
5. Systemised approach to compliance with environmental regulations
   
6. Commitment to social responsibility

...and it makes you feel good! :)

Ginger Catering-Our Major Partner

Janet Jeffs owner of Ginger Catering is an inspiration, not only in the kitchen but behind the scenes also. She and her team have developed an extensive green policy for all operations including the Cafe in the House, The Ginger Room fine dining restaurant, The Kitchen Cabinet produce store, and all catering including their new Gingerbread offsite catering service. Below is an abstract of the Ginger Catering Green Policy and their commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation.





Ginger Catering at Old Parliament House serves in a single year approximately 150,000 customers across all outlets. This presents a need to develop practical ideas for improving sustainability.
Our firm commitment to developing sustainable business practices means that we consistently assess ways to reduce our impact on the environment. We are also aware that our staff are learning with us.
The restrictions necessarily imposed in a heritage listed building are offset by the opportunities this high-profile location gives us. Located in the heart of the national capital, we see ourselves as responsible for adopting and modelling best practices in sustainability.
Ginger Catering has registered to become a Green Table Australia certified business under the recently launched Restaurant & Catering Australia accreditation scheme. The Green Table scheme is designed as an add-on to the restaurant accreditation scheme and is intended to recognise restaurants and catering businesses that are reducing their CO2 emissions.
Our present focus is on three main areas of environmental impact:
Energy and water conservation

• An upgrade of the commercial kitchen equipment was done in April 2008 significantly lowering energy consumption and improving water efficiency
• A commercial conveyer belt dishwasher was installed to the main function / production kitchen to reduce water and energy consumption and to achieve recycling of the majority of the water.
• The use of natural gas for heating and cooking, rather than electricity
• All non-essential power, including lights, is turned off when not needed as a routine practice

Waste management and recycling
• Glass recycling
• Plastic recycling
• Cardboard/paper recycling
• Used cooking oil recycling for bio diesel
• Green waste recycling for composting
• Redirecting waste from landfill
• recycling of toner cartridges
• Disposal of Styrofoam boxes
• Disposal of scrap metal
• Disposal of fluorescent light tubes
• Use of environmentally sensitive products
• Recycling of unused fresh food – we are keen participants in the local charity food recovery program Oz Harvest.

Environmentally sensitive procedures
Ginger Catering casual as well as fulltime staff are trained to be conscientious in their handling of chemicals and to implement carefully our firm policies and procedures for the use, storage and disposal of all chemicals required in operating a food handling business. Material safety data sheets are prominently displayed for all chemicals used within the business. Every effort has been made to minimise the use of any bleach or caustic based chemicals in the work place, to minimise harmful products entering our waterways. We are currently investigating alternative cleaning products as part of our regular products assessments.

Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Parkes ACT 2600 Australia Bookings 02 6273 4366 Email info@gingercatering.com.au

Barefoot weddings- A new product from Hilary Wardhaugh

You recycle and compost everything you can. You walk when you could drive – and you are thinking of investing in solar panels.

So why blow you carbon budget during your wedding?

Canberra’s leading wedding photographer Hilary Wardhaugh has just introduced an eco-friendly alternative to capturing your special day.

"Barefoot Weddings" is a photography package developed over the past 18 months to reduce the carbon footprint by developing alternatives to display wedding images other than the normal plastic coated prints and huge albums…??

The couple will receive images in digital format with special prints done on beautiful fine art cotton rag paper and framed using ash from renewable forests only. Everything is crafted locally saving on carbon miles and in turn helping a little towards keeping business local.

“Barefoot Weddings will suit the couple wanting something different, something brave and something which still produces a wonderful artistic representation of their very special day,” Hilary Wardhaugh says. “Barefoot Weddings are captured discreetly by two accredited AIPP photographers in such a way that is completely unobtrusive allowing couples to be the centre of their day without being directed. The style is mainly documentary, reportage or candid with only a few semi-posed images. It is not a style for everyone but the images will reveal more than just how couples look on the day. They will show how they feel”.

It is the perfect way to capture that moment while retaining your respect to the environment and being conscious of your contribution to Climate Change.

“I think we can all make an effort to change the way we live and operate our businesses and this is my little bit for the earth.” says Hilary.

Hilary Wardhaugh is a Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) Double Master Photographer who has just won ACT AIPP Wedding Photographer of the Year for the 5th time.

First post for our new venture

Green4life is an expo to be held at Old Parliament House on 28th march 2010 but the launch is happening on the 8th August 2009

Website almost ready!!

www.green4life.com.au (TM)

" Your commitment Our world" (TM)

The Green4Life wedding and Lifestyle expo is all about promoting green and ethical weddings & living.

DATES: Cocktail VIP/exhibitors party 6pm Saturday 8th August

EXPO Sunday 28th March 2010 10am-4pm

Weddings, though wonderful, can be extremely wasteful, when really it the marriage that counts! We hope with the green4life initiative that the general public can see that it is easy to live more sustainably from their wedding day onwards...

Saturday night will be a cocktail party in King's Hall catered by Ginger Catering, who have an extension green policy and are a major sponsor. Sunday will be the expo 10-4 with about 28 businesses hopefully.

We know that when it comes to eco-friendly and ethical businesses, there are many shades of green. We will ask that all exhibitors meet certain green and ethical quality standards in one or more key business areas. If you are unsure, please get in touch with one of the organisers to discuss your green credentials.

We hope this will be an annual event and that it really enables the general public to see how easy it is being "green".

Stephanie Allen & Hilary Wardhaugh