Category: Environment

Fee Writes

I’ve Started Farming

Farming? Well, worm farming. Finally, after months of having the worm farm paraphernalia sitting around with no worms in it, I am happy to announce that a very healthy bunch of Tiger, Red and Indian blue worms have taken up residence.

The process was really pretty easy. I think the reason I hadn’t gotten around to actually getting the worms was that I was really nervous about how I might just not be very good at it.

I was in the garden shop getting some winter veggie seedlings and when I got up to the counter I noticed that the people in front had purchased a worm farm. I asked if they knew where to get the actual worms and, lo and behold, they were right there in the shop. Hadn’t seen them before, but then I don’t think they come in very often. Maybe the worms prefer the more up-market garden centres that have cafes and gift stores attached?

Off down the aisles I went in search of the worms, determination on my face and in my stride. Found them, rushed back to the checkout and into the car before I could change my mind.

The worms have their own website, so tap, tap, tap on the keys and up came a really great site with great information and brilliant videos that showed just how easy it was. WormsRus

Got the worms settled in and this morning when I went to check. It’s like have a new baby, but I’m pleased to report that they were all there wriggling and squirming and doing what worms love to do – starting the composting procedure.

This is going to be fun! Oh, and the winter veggies got planted to.

Fee Writes

Environment | Food | Random

Big Business At It Again?

New Zealand has the dubious honor of having the largest dairy exporting company in the world. Yup, little N.Z. can lay claim that dairy products are exported to more that 100 countries around the globe.

The company’s name is Fonterra and you can bet your bottom dollar that they will outstrip and outsmart any other company that makes dairy products.

The latest “innovative” move they have made is to introduce a “light-proof” plastic milk bottle Now I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they genuinely thought they were right when they came up with the idea that milk deteriorates when it comes in contact with light and they should do something about it, but I’m more inclined to think that this is one helluva marketing ploy that will get the punters believing that, not only is milk good for you but it should be kept in the dark.

I spoke to a sales lady who was promoting the new bottles in the super market the other day, the conversation went something like this:

Lady:   Do you like the new bottle?
Me:      No, I don’t – I can’t see how much is left. (I thought that’s what most people would be annoyed at)
Lady:   If you can’t see the milk then that’s actually a good thing, as it means neither can the light!
Me:     (under my breath -duh) It still doesn’t solve the problem. So you’re saying that one just has to do the weight and shake test and judge when you’re going to run out?
The lady ignored my question.
Me:      With three layers….that seems like an awful lot of plastic.
Lady:   These bottles are 100% recyclable.
Me:      Maybe, but it just seem like more plastic.
Lady:   The plastic is thinner, so there’s not that much more at all. Did you know that with these bottles it means that the milk will be as good on day 15 as it is on day 1.
Me:     Mmmmmm, I think you’ll find that a bottle of milk will be used within about 3 or 4 days in the majority of families – or are you saying that I can leave the milk out on the bench longer?
Lady: Oh no, the milk still has to be refrigerated.
Me:     So there’s really no difference then.
Lady: Yes, this milk tastes better.
Me:     I can’t see why if the milk is still used up quickly….milk is milk.
Lady: But with these bottles it’s fresher.
Me:     I can’t see why – other companies get the milk bottled and into the stores daily, just like Fonterra does.

And so the conversation continued.

I finally got bored and left. I’d had my humour for the day, so off I went to get my soy milk. I don’t drink animal milk anyway!

When I was putting this blog together I came across an article that said the recycling companies are not happy with this bottle as it takes more energy and resources to recycle it. Wish I’d known that when I was talking to the lady!

There was also a comment made by ‘Whiti (N.Z.)’ who threw up another argument:

“My wife is a science teacher and just couldn’t resist testing the new bottle. Happy to report that the bottle does indeed appear to be light proof. Unfortunately the good old fashioned lid is not. Given that most light tends to shine down seems a bit of an oversight if it’s really all that important. Maybe just a lot of hype over nothing? Nice try Fonterra better luck next time.”

Good one, Whiti, couldn’t have said it better myself.

Fee Writes

Environment

Oil Spill Affects Humans This Time

With so many oil spills over the years it really wasn’t too much of a surprise when I read from a favorite site of mine Treehugger.com – “Two weeks ago today, Exxon Mobil’s Pegasus pipeline carrying diluted bitumen from Canada ruptured catastrophically, creating a 22-foot long gash that unleashed hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil and toxic chemical diluents into the Central Arkansas town of Mayflower.”

What is tragic about this is the number of residences who have suffered from toxic fumes, the contaminated water and the fact that these people will now have to battle with lawsuits. Having something like this happen within a built up area highlights the danger that pipelines, that criss-cross countries around the world, can create. Most of the time these spills affect both the environment and the animals and, although tragic, is not as impacting on our sense of horror and outrage as it is when there is a population of humans in the forefront.

It really is time that we put more pressure on these companies that disregard the environment and disregard human and animal suffering.

I leave you with a video put out by comedians Andy Cobb and Mike Damanskis who have satirized this disaster…..even though it’s “comedy” I’m sure if you watch it you will get the underlying message.

Fee Writes

Environment | Health

Do You Use Re-Usable Shopping Bags?

I came across an article the other day which worried me a bit: It was titled ‘Are Reusable Shopping Bags Making Us Sick’

The article went on to say that “studies seem to link reusable grocery bags to foodborne illness” along with the increase in stolen food.

Well, it was the illness part that concerned me and I would hope that people would read the entire article before passing judgement as it went on to add that although different microbes were found and “more than half the bags contained some sort of coliform bacteria” what the study didn’t say were the specific strains of E. coli found in the bags. According to Dr Susan Fernyak, director of San Francisco’s Communicable Disease and Control Prevention division, “Your average healthy person is not going to get sick from the bacteria that were listed,”

I can remember as a child, my mother always used string bags or a cane basket to do her shopping. It was in the days before supermarkets and we would go to the butcher, (who wrapped the meat in brown paper), then onto the vegetable market, the baker and the grocer for flour/sugar etc. None of the items were put in plastic, in fact, other than the meat, I don’t remember anything else being wrapped…..oh, wait a minute, I think the bread was put into a paper bag.

I’m sure the string bags went through the wash periodically, but the cane basket I don’t know, she may have wiped it out.

Now I realise that the bacteria and other microbes bugs have mutated and become more vicious over the years, but maybe if those who use reusable bags are educated into making sure the bags are washed regularly we just might be able to win the war on plastic.

I did come across a string bag made from hemp. Having a “see-through” bag would also stop the food being stolen as well.

Another thought – why doesn’t someone invent a thin disposable bag, (like the plastic bag), made from hemp….good for the environment. The growing of hemp is easy, sustainable and good for the land and it’s strong enough that bags won’t split. Supermarkets could use these instead of the plastic bags and we could use them as bin liners. Oh, that’s right, growing hemp is illegal unless under license.

Fee Writes

Environment | Food

What to do About Global Hunger

Reading a short blog this morning about global hunger and the fact that the less meat we eat the more people we can feed got me thinking.

I’ve always been a big believer in going to the top. Let’s face it when you need to get results it’s always sometimes quicker and easier just to go to the top man rather than working your way through the chain of command.

It’s like that for food so:

Why not cut out the middle man?
Why go through the food chain for nutrition?
Why not go directly to the source?

Are you with me here? Let me explain. The grain that grows has all the nutrients needed – the meat industry feeds that grain to the animals then, in turn, feeds it to the humans….so, cut out the meat and get to the primary source (the grain) and get the pure nutrients.

Extrapolate this out. Not only do you need land to grow the grain, but you need it also to farm the animals. Cut out the “middle man” i.e. the farmed animals and you have more land to grow crops = more food to feed the hungry.

It’s really quite simple math……but here’s the rub – money.

The meat industry, unfortunately, just doesn’t see it that way – it would appear that personal gain comes way above the gains of the planet. So it’s up to us. By choosing to have one (or preferable more) meat-free day a week you will make a difference. Try to make it a completely animal-free day (vegan) like no dairy products or eggs and you will make that one small step towards doing something about world hunger.

Thanks for dropping by, my name is Fee O’Shea. I’m a mother and grandma, an author and an Improver. I’ve got a resource website to help peeps go plant-based, I’ve scribbled six books centred around veganism, and have helped others write and publish their own stories.
But this blog is for my thoughts, my rants, raves, reviews and things that have grabbed my attention. From politics to social media to beauty, health and the environment. Fee’s Ramblings Over Coffee is written to bring you a smile or get you thinking. Enjoy.

Category: Environment

I’ve Started Farming

Big Business At It Again?

Oil Spill Affects Humans This Time

Do You Use Re-Usable Shopping Bags?

What to do About Global Hunger

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