Last minute ideas for an organic Halloween

Okay – only four sleeps left until Halloween 2007 blows into town. If you read Bev’s earlier post, your pantry may already be chock-a-block full of store-bought organic treats to give those hungry, menacing, night-prowling monsters. But if you’re like some of our readers and you’re not overly keen to hand out treats containing too much sugar – whether organic or not – you might want to consider some alternative Halloween approaches.

Here’s a quick organic Halloween suggestion that is not only low in sugar but should keep most monster’s at bay – popcorn! Homemade organic popcorn – you can’t beat it. Popcorn’s fun, nutritious and it’s really easy to prepare. Simply start with some good quality organic yellow popcorn kernels such as those available from Purcell Mountain Farms and start cooking.

3 Tablespoons oil (canola oil, coconut oil, or olive oil may be used)
4oz. Organic yellow popcorn
1 Popcorn Popper or Large Sauce Pan
1 Large Serving Bowl

Here’s how - start by preheating the oil on high in the bottom of a popcorn popper (or a large saucepan if you’re coming up short with the popcorn popper) for approximately 1 minute. Add the popcorn kernels to the popper and cover. Lower the heat slightly. Agitate the popper until the popcorn ceases to pop. Pour the popcorn into a large serving bowl to cool. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Place the popcorn into paper bags so that each monster is able to have their own bag. Depending on how many monsters will visit, you may need to make several batches.

If this idea won’t work with your monsters at this time of year, then you might want to check out some:

Alternative green Halloween ideas from the site dedicated to alternative consumers (and monsters too!).

Spooky trick or treat ideas from the Tree Hugging Family.

Eco-friendly Halloween suggestions from Nature Moms

Whatever you decide to do – act fast. I know of at least two little monsters that are getting their tricks ready right now!

Halloween goes organic

It’s fast approaching the time of year when grandparents, police officers, and neighbors stock up on those candy treats which contribute to the traditional festivities of Halloween. When we were little, our favourite treats were the brightly coloured toffee apples and the candied popcorn which came in brown paper bags. The goblins of today are just as likely to receive wholesome muesli bars, trade fair chocolates, or one of the organically certified candy products now appealing to health conscious parents.

Organic candy has been around for several decades but has only recently become a mainstream item. A few years ago, you had to search the internet for limited supplies of organic candy. Dealing with small-scale manufacturers and the lack of consistent product information often presented challenges. It was essentially a hit and miss exercise. The recent arrival of recognised confectionery brands and manufacturers has increased competitive marketing to the extent that overall quality and widespread availability is assured.

Our local supermarket devotes one of their shelf sections to a full range of organic candy and other sweet snacks. The grandkids have already marked out their favourites. Something about their bright wrappers and cheerful presentation, no doubt.

The question which must be asked, of course, is whether organically certified candy is better for children than the conventional alternative. In terms of the overall sugar content, there is probably insufficient difference to separate the two options. Some organic products claim to use less refined sugar or natural sugars, but what does that count for? Unfortunately, sugar is simply that. There’s lots of information about the health risks of excessive sugar consumption so let’s practice moderation where we can. The real advantage of the organic treats is their purity. You will rest assured that organically certified candy does not contain the chemical additives which are frequently used as colouring, preservative, and flavouring agents in conventional candy products. Several of these chemical additives are suspected to contribute to childhood medical conditions like allergy, hyperactivity, and sleep disorders.

Making the switch to energy efficient lighting

The principle of care is one of the tenets underpinning organic agriculture. IFOAM indicate that Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations as well as the environment. Most organic consumers I speak to are keen to extend this fundamental principle into other areas of their daily lives. Saving energy in the home is one of the surest ways we, as individuals, can reduce the load we place on our precious planet. Choosing energy efficient lighting sources can result in significant reductions in household green house gas emissions. So, having some understanding of energy efficient lighting tends to be useful for most organic consumers. But what exactly is energy efficient lighting?

Energy efficient lighting is an approach to lighting that seeks to minimise energy usage while simultaneously delivering upon required functionality. Why is it important? Well, it’s estimated that a 13% reduction in household greenhouse gas emissions is possible merely by choosing appropriate lighting technology. Lighting technology has come a long way in the past ten years. In the past, virtually every household in the United States used incandescent globes. Nowadays, households are able to choose between the older style incandescent globes and the more modern compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL).

What’s the difference? I’m glad you asked. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use around 80 percent less electricity and last around 9 times longer than incandescent light globes. Instead of using between 40 and 100 watts, common in incandescent globes, compact fluorescent light bulbs generally use between 9 and 20 watts. Given that energy consumption and the cost of lighting is directly proportional to a globe’s wattage, it’s fairly easy to see why the newer compact fluorescent light bulbs have the capacity to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save you money.

Are there any drawbacks? Compact fluorescent light bulbs are generally more expensive than incandescent globes. However, when their increased lifespan and the cost savings associated with lower energy usage are taken into account, compact fluorescent light bulbs are actually a much less expensive option. In fact, the payback period associated with them, which is the time that elapses before you cover your initial investment, is generally less than a year.

Where can I get them? Compact fluorescent light bulbs are generally available wherever conventional light bulbs are sold, with most hardware stores and major supermarkets stocking a good range. Most will fit straight into your existing light sockets, whether they are the conventional bayonet or screw fitting light sockets. And the good news is, with their increased popularity, the range of colours, shapes, sizes and functions has broadened in recent times. So, whether you’re after a ‘warm white’ colour, similar in appearance to an incandescent globe for use in living areas, kitchens, and bedrooms, or whether you need a ‘cool’ white colour suitable for use in bathrooms, toilets and for outdoor use, you should be able to find something to suit.

If you want to play your part, seriously consider switching over to compact fluorescent light bulbs in favour of the less efficient incandescent globes of yesteryear. In the interim, here are some additional lighting tips that will not only save you money, but will help you to reduce your carbon footprint:

• Use natural lighting as much as possible. If you’re building a new home, look for opportunities to utilise natural light by incorporating skylights and sky dome lighting.
• Turn all lights off when they are not in use.
• Replace any incandescent globes with energy saving compact fluorescent globes.
• Choose globes with the lowest wattage required for each particular area of your home.
• For outdoor settings, choose solar-powered lights.

None of these steps are particularly difficult. And believe me, they can make a difference.

Have yourself an organic Christmas

Our children are reaching the age where Christmas takes on special meaning. We were talking between ourselves last month and agreed on a few basics. We definitely wish to free ourselves of the consumer drive to hand out elaborate and expensive presents. I received those as a child and, quite frankly, they probably didn’t do me a whole lot of good. What we would like to focus on are the simple joys of being together as a family. This involves plenty of scrumptious food, good stories, wishes, laughter, and some time for serious reflection as well.

To achieve that kind of Christmas, you need symbols and the obvious one which inspires so many cultural traditions is the decorated tree. I’m not speaking of those wire and plastic structures so easily overdone with flashing stars and fluorescent baubles. No, I was hoping to return somewhat to the natural world where a tree looks and smells like it grew from healthy soil, with the necessary help from sunshine and rain. Isn’t this is the tree of childhood dreams.

I haven’t mentioned it yet, but I’m planning to make this an Organic Christmas. I hear this gets a decent run across California and parts of Europe where entire communities embrace the organic lifestyle. I’m afraid that hasn’t really occurred in my neck of the woods, but hey, somebody has to start the ball rolling! Why not me?

So far I’ve got a few ideas about getting the food supplies together. I’m going to order an organic turkey, and it’s easy enough to purchase the cake’s ingredients from our neighbourhood health store. There’s a local farmer’s market which sells organically grown berries in time for Christmas and I will probably order some certified wine from an online distributor. That was the easy part.

Christmas is about giving and sharing and I believe the most important thing to share is your ideas and hopes for the future. At the risk of sounding philosophical, I’m expanding this to encompass my ideas and hopes for the future of our planet. This is not as corny as it sounds. There’s plenty of self-interest to stabilise things. After all, my family has to live here for who knows how long?

No more last minute shopping for this boy. It requires much thought and love to create the small yet significant presents I’m hoping to distribute on the special day. I’d like to focus as much as possible on sustainable and recycled materials. I’m using the internet for ideas but it’s all a bit secretive at the moment.

Now, back to the tree of childhood dreams. There’s a forestry block out the back of my town which raises conifers for their softwood. Every year they sell a few of their immature trees and the money is given to worthy charities across the country. That fits in with my concept for Christmas so I’ve ordered one of those. Every year, our children make Christmas decorations at pre-school and kindergarten. Instead of admiring profusely before politely discarding, these will take pride of place this year. Even the angels with the moustaches. Don’t ask, it’s a long story. If there’s empty room on the branches, I’d like to adorn them with little sachets containing dried organic lavender and other aromatic herbs. This is an idea I discovered during my research. It all adds to the richness of the sensory experience. Beeswax candles are also lovely at night but you’ll need to be very careful if your house becomes somewhat chaotic like ours.

The last thing I need to remind myself is to get involved with community issues. My wife is so much better than me in this regard. She’ll volunteer here and there and knows how to get enthusiastic about a project. I tend to procrastinate and then worry whether those committee things should be handled a better way. Of course the idea is you grow wiser every year and hopefully more cooperative, so let’s see what can be done.

I’m still young enough to enjoy leaving the organic Christmas cake and home made ginger beers on our porch for Santa. Don’t forget the bowl of water for his reindeer.

Is organic food too expensive?

One of the first questions I’m asked when I let people know that I prefer to consume organic food is, “How can you afford to eat organic food on your salary?” Okay, so I’m the first to admit it, my annual income only places me marginally above the official poverty line. But that isn’t to say that I don’t have priorities in my life. I have a young family – a wife and two children to be exact. And having spent quite a bit of time in the food processing industry, I know what goes on behind the scenes. And let’s just say, I’m not prepared to accept the routine shortcuts that conventional food processors are forced to take by the large supermarket chains they are subservient to. Call me nuts, but I don’t want my daughter growing breasts at seven years old as a direct consequence of the hormones that were routinely pumped into the battery hens whose eggs she ate. And I’m not overly keen for my son to undergo minor surgery at our local hospital only to discover that, due to the rampant overuse of antibiotics in our food chain leading to yet another outbreak of antibiotic resistant staphylococcus aureus, they’ll have to amputate his leg below the knee in order to save his life. Am I alarmist? No. I’m just a dad with priorities.

Personally, I’d rather spend a few extra dollars to feed my family a small quantity of high quality organic produce. The alternative, as I see it, requires subjecting my family to the constant moving target of what constitutes “acceptable” parameters for human safety. Does that mean I have to stick to a budget? Yes, of course. Does it mean that my wife and I have to be creative in how we shop? Definitely. Okay, so I’m fairly certain that the extra cost associated with organic food is worth it. But why should it cost more you ask? Well, here are the reasons I believe it’s reasonable for me to expect to pay a premium for organic food.

Labour – one of the downsides of organic production methods is that they tend to be labour intensive. Because there are no pesticides or herbicides used on an organic farm, more people are involved in undertaking routine tasks, such as the removal of weeds in between rows of vegetables. On the face of it, this might not seem like it should add much in the way of additional cost to your box of fruit and vegetables, but if you’ve ever spent more than a couple of hours in the garden pulling weeds, you’ve probably got some idea of how time consuming – and therefore expensive – weeding can be.

Scale – organic farms tend to be smaller than conventional farms. I don’t think it necessarily has to be this way. In fact, if more consumers switched to consuming organic food, I’m sure we’d see many larger organic farms pop up. But at the moment, your average organic farm tends to be a small-scale operation. The small scale of organic farming operations means that the associated fixed costs and overheads must be distributed across much smaller produce volumes than conventional farms. Unfortunately, this increases the cost to you and me.

Compliance – both organic farms and organic processors must adhere to strict certification guidelines. Apart from the obvious fees associated with achieving and maintaining certification, an enormous amount of staff time, effort and energy is expended in ensuring all necessary specifications are adhered to. These are additional costs that are not incurred by conventional farms or conventional processors.

Retailers – I’ve spoke directly with some retailers that have told me that organic lines don’t move as fast as some conventional lines. For them, this equates to risk and therefore a price premium must be paid by all customers purchasing organic products. And I suspect that some, but by no means all, retailers are riding the wave of organic popularity all the way to the beach at our expense. But the party won’t last indefinitely for these retailers. So, shop around.

Conventional lies – I believe that if we were to look at the true economic cost of conventional food, we’d find that the price society as a whole pays for it would be much higher than its shelf price. Pesticides, antibiotics, herbicides, additives, genetic modification – what is the true cost of the health care people require, and will in the future require, as a result of some of these nasties? After all, what is the cost associated with being told that GM crops do actually cause bowel and colon cancer? Pretty high I would have thought! What was the cost for numerous Britains being told that, as a direct consequence of cows being fed the spinal tissue from other cows to facilitate cost savings, they had developed a rare from of bovine spongiform encephalitis, more commonly known as “Mad Cow Disease”. Did the price of the beef mince they picked up from their local supermarket incorporate the real cost to society? No way. But did the artificially low price, and the cynical cost saving use of spinal tissue fed to ruminants, enable a few large corporates to benefit at the expense of both consumers and honest farmers? You’re damn right it did!

As consumers, what we need is strong Government that’s prepared to stand up to corporate profiteering at the expense of human health. In the interim, we need to make our own choices. So, next time you’re agonising over the price of organic food, as I do from time to time, ask yourself what the true price of the conventional alternative really is. Is organic food really worth it? I think so. How about you?

Bathroom cleaning the organic way

If you’re hoping to clean your bathroom in a safe and sustainable manner, there are very few commercially available products to choose from. In most cities, even the humble supermarket is transitioning towards organic and environmentally friendly products. But take a peep inside your bathroom cleaning cabinets. Horror upon horrors, full of toxic chemicals! Take a deep breath and throw it all away. I’ll tell you how to deal with the bathroom without killing yourself and the environment.

Step one - Introduce as much air and sunlight as the structural layout of your home enables you to. Mildew and bacteria are challenged by ultraviolet light. So let them receive plenty. A good circulation of fresh air helps to dry out any damp recesses which might otherwise encourage mildew.

Step two - Change your thinking about bathroom hygiene. Rather than conducting a weekly cleaning task, consider the benefits of these quick and regular treatments. Problem germs can be removed each day without the heavy arsenal of disinfectants, scourers, and surface cleansers.

I fill a spray bottle with white cider vinegar and use this to treat all bathroom surfaces. The acetic acid kills harmful moulds and bacteria. Many of the essential oils can be diluted then applied as general-purpose disinfectants. Try eucalyptus or lavender. I’ve purchased family size bottles of eucalyptus oil from the local organic and wholefood distributors. If the grout between your tiles is dull, scrub them out with an old toothbrush and a liberal sprinkle of baking soda.

Step three - Abandon the plastic shower curtain. Yes plastic is practical but it’s torture for the environment. If you lower the water pressure and position the faucet strategically, you’ll save water and have less of a lake in your bathroom each morning.

Step four - Make sure any synthetic air fresheners are deposited where they belong. Yes, into the wastebasket. I can’t believe that anyone would want to aerosol those toxic cocktails around their bathroom. Let’s agree that natural odours should be treated with nature. Lavender or citrus potpourris are easy enough to make. Start with a handful of dried lavender or bergamot. Large quantities can be purchased from organic distributors or ordered from herbal remedy suppliers. Mix the dried flowers with a dozen drops of high quality essential oils of lavender or bergamot. Fill this mixture into muslin sachets and place these inside small earthenware pots which can sit on bathroom ledges etc.

Step five - Recreate the bathroom as a pleasant environment. Yes, we need functionality but it’s also a place to relax and reflect upon our position in the world. What about some music and a picture or two to feast the eyes? I prefer something classical like a cello concerto, but my husband’s a huge fan of Guy Sebastian.

Step six - Don’t forget to replace and replenish. Natural products are effective but they were designed to break down quickly and lose their strength as antibacterial cleansing agents. Discard your used solutions thoughtfully. Spent vinegar and eucalyptus oils should not be poured down the sink. Why not recycle these? They can be used to scrub exterior brickwork, concrete pathways, and ceramic tiles.

Step seven - Toilet paper. Try to source unbleached rolls which are manufactured from sustainable resources. Unless you reside in a large city with a vocal consumer base, you’ll most likely struggle to achieve this at your local supermarket. Speak with your nearest organic and wholefoods distributor. They should have the resources to point you in the right direction. Be warned that it’s difficult to order eco friendly toilet rolls in modest quantities. That’s okay once you discover a decent size group of friends who want to make a difference.

Step eight - Join one of the organic consumer movements and try to organise a petition that prevents the inclusion of unsafe chemicals in commercial cleaning products. Even if we encourage safety in our own homes and bathrooms, it’s virtually impossible to know what’s being used in public conveniences across the country.