A couple of weeks ago I went to the Go Green Expo. In between munching on a dozen different kinds of raw / vegan / paleo chocolate brownie samples, I sat in on a few different seminars and talked with a mix of green-minded people. Had some good chats with the people at Eco Store, Keep Cups, Trade Aid, various organic grocers...
Although it was a bit gimmicky on the whole, here are a few things I took away from the event:
Honeywrap and Beewrapt (and HappBeeWrap and Bee's Wrap) - food wraps made with fabric that is sealed with beeswax, it softens from the warmth of your hands enough to cling like plastic wrap, only it can be rinsed and re-used. BUT, rather than paying $30 for a set I thought I'd like to make my own at some stage this year, and incorporate fabric design/printing.
Re-usable bags. Of course. Another thing I'd like to make for my project, thinking about food sustainability : packaging and storage and transport, etc.
Biodegradable doggie poo bags. As a dog owner, I think these are great, as it frustrates me that each time I take the dog for a walk I end up using and disposing of unnecessary plastic.
During a talk on hormone balance I learned some interesting things about the dangers of soy. My (previously) beloved little bean! I used to think it was the silver bullet for all the world's food sustainability problems, and it turns out it's incredibly environmentally destructive crop, as well as being a goitrogen and therefore possibly a factor in my thyroid issues. I've been converted. In fact I have completely avoided unfermented soy since the expo.
Fluoride Free NZ - not something I'd ever thought about, but the fluoride in our water is essentially toxic waste disposal of a by-product of manufacturing phosphate fertilisers. Also, like soy, those who drink fluoridated water are twice as likely to develop hypothyroidism.
Conclusion:
There are too many things to think about and too much conflicting advice when it comes to trying to live 'green'. The Vegan Society says one thing, the Paleo people say something completely contradictory. There are too many things we are told to watch out for and avoid. At this rate I'm hurtling towards a lonely life as a paranoid shut-in living off organic wheat grass and alkaline filtered spring water. Eek!
Part of me is extremely cynical towards green marketing, and wants to parody it and ridicule its ironies and apparent futility. The other part of me hopes for a better world, wholeheartedly believes in the green cause and supports it passionately. Am I a hypocrite? Or is it only appropriate to be confused about who/what to trust?
After the expo, I'm even more torn than ever, but I still think that trying to make environmentally friendly changes is a magical and worthwhile pursuit. The difficult part is how.
Re-usable bags. Of course. Another thing I'd like to make for my project, thinking about food sustainability : packaging and storage and transport, etc.
Biodegradable doggie poo bags. As a dog owner, I think these are great, as it frustrates me that each time I take the dog for a walk I end up using and disposing of unnecessary plastic.
During a talk on hormone balance I learned some interesting things about the dangers of soy. My (previously) beloved little bean! I used to think it was the silver bullet for all the world's food sustainability problems, and it turns out it's incredibly environmentally destructive crop, as well as being a goitrogen and therefore possibly a factor in my thyroid issues. I've been converted. In fact I have completely avoided unfermented soy since the expo.
Fluoride Free NZ - not something I'd ever thought about, but the fluoride in our water is essentially toxic waste disposal of a by-product of manufacturing phosphate fertilisers. Also, like soy, those who drink fluoridated water are twice as likely to develop hypothyroidism.
Conclusion:
There are too many things to think about and too much conflicting advice when it comes to trying to live 'green'. The Vegan Society says one thing, the Paleo people say something completely contradictory. There are too many things we are told to watch out for and avoid. At this rate I'm hurtling towards a lonely life as a paranoid shut-in living off organic wheat grass and alkaline filtered spring water. Eek!
Part of me is extremely cynical towards green marketing, and wants to parody it and ridicule its ironies and apparent futility. The other part of me hopes for a better world, wholeheartedly believes in the green cause and supports it passionately. Am I a hypocrite? Or is it only appropriate to be confused about who/what to trust?
After the expo, I'm even more torn than ever, but I still think that trying to make environmentally friendly changes is a magical and worthwhile pursuit. The difficult part is how.
