Things that make me happy

I have to admit that being green can sometimes be hard. Not that I am a super greenie, really I am just trying to live a healthier life and hoping to make my kids lives a little bit healthier as well.

My eldest daughter is 5 1/yrs old and I am now starting to see the fruits of my labour. My little girl only uses a stainless steel water bottle (must have her bottle with her at all times - her request), has her own eco bag and is an avid recycler.    She often switches things off telling me we are wasting electricity and goes mad when she sees litter on the street. Ah, I am a proud mum :)

I was so happy the other month when finally, after months and months of preaching to my sister about the dangers of reusing plastic water bottles, she finally switched over to stainless steel water bottles. She now loves them!  Water really does taste better in stainless steel.


My Sister's fridge :)


So we can make a change and by showing our children they accept it as part of their life. Sometimes we can convert family members or friends and that is just a bonus! Whether they continue on with these 'green habits' is another question but at least we have shown them the right way.

Eco bags - not just for green sake

Many years ago I decided to give eco bags a try.  I was living in Sydney with no car so often found myself on the bus or walking down the street trying to lug around my groceries and trying to avoid that horrible moment when the plastic bag rips and your groceries go everywhere!  So I am pretty sure my investment in my first eco bag was for vanity sake - I hate chasing rolling cans across the footpath, very embarrassing.

Years later they are just a part of life now and I couldn't imagine going back to plastic. I find I can pack a whole lot of groceries in them without the fear of the bag breaking and they don't cut into my hands.

When I started up Green Me OZ I searched for eco bags that were not only user friendly but looked a bit more appealing, especially to us chics.  I was so happy when I came across Envirotrend and their great range.  They look good and they fold up and can be easily stored in your handbag.

I've converted so many people to these bags and even did a fundraiser for my daughters school selling them.

So I must admit I ditched plastic to save face but ended up saving the environment...well sort of :)

Water bottles in the car

I was out for my daily walk the other day with my two girls.  It was a nice warm day and as we walked past a car I noticed that the person had left their plastic water bottle in the front - you know, right in front of the stereo where most people stick their bottles.  I wondered if that person was going to drink the rest of the water in that bottle or reuse the bottle. I hope not. Why you ask?  Well plastic bottles especially when reused or exposed to heat will release chemicals from the plastic water bottle into your drinking water. These chemicals including phthalates and BPA are proving to be very dangerous to your body as basically they are endocrine disruptor's. Doesn't sound good and it's not.

When you leave your car locked up the temperature rises significantly so you can image how hot that plastic bottle gets and how easily chemicals can be released from the plastic into the water.  Probably not something we usually think about but now with more information coming out about what those plastic bottles are made from it is time to be informed and change our habits.

Ditch the plastic!