Optimising your productivity

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Sustainability is not just about the environment but about people too - being productive while enjoying life and having time for yourself is importnat but seemingly increasingly harder in this day and age.

This link goes to a blog on habits of highly productive people.  Its makes for great reading and is timely as the academic year moves into a higher gear.  The habits covered in the blog are: 

1.  Meditate
2.  Optimize your morning ritual
3.  Visualize your ideal day
4.  Rest before you’re tired
5.  Get active during your breaks
6.  Work with intention
7.  Unplug
8.  Optimize your work set-up
9.  Learn to speed read
10. Be grateful
11. Practice optimal breathing
12. Ask for help

This set of ideas is of significant benefit to everyone trying to be productive - whether its study, in a paid work place, a stay at home parent, or life in general.  These tips will help help you optimize your day and improve outcomes and quality of life.

From my perspective the 'unplug' advice just on its own has made a huge difference.  I no longer take my laptop or iPad to bed.  They are now designated as office equipment only.  

Its about working smarter not harder - you pass this way but once so make sure  you make it a good one!

The link again is: http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/11/05/12-unconventional-habits-of-highly-productive-people/

Have a great week!

Change of drink vending machines

As our readers who are associated with Otago Polytechnic are aware, the polytechnic has made a committment to sustainability.  It is a slow process but over time changes are being made to the gardens and grounds around the living campus concept, buildings are being checked for energy efificency and being improved upon, and so on. 

A recent announcement is that there will be a change of vending machines from Coca-Cola to Frucor. As well as energy drinks, Frucor have brands for bottled water, fruit juices, the Pepsi range and the likes of 'Up and Go'. As part of the contract change, the polytechnic has specified that the vending machines contain NO energy drinks and they must offer healthier drink options. 

If you visit the Frucor website you will find information on what they term 'social responsibility'.  Their philosophy includes "community,environment and health," according to the website. You can read more about their social responsibility philosophy by clicking here. It is great they have this commitment, it is up to you to assess it. 

Firstly, I would like to commend the polytechnic on making changes - small steps towards something better.  I imagine the battle of the big corporates is a hard battle to fight and I am aware that the change from Coca-Cola to Frucor must have been a long running challenge. 

Secondly, I would like to comment that taking it further would be a fantastic step but a larger voice is required.  For students, as members of the student body, it is your campus, whether you are on campus or based remotely.  What commitments need to be made for us to be the leaders in terms of sustainability?  Consider what you would want/expect about sustainable leadership and lobby with your student voice through OPSA.  Vote with your money - will you spend it on bottled drinks or fill up your reusable water bottle? 

Perhaps we could lobby Frucor to supply vending machines that provide drinks in bulk refill packaging so that you can refill your reusable drinking vessels and reduce packaging waste.  Perhaps we could say 'no' to vending machines all together?  It really is up to the collective voice.  One person doing their best to try and negotiate changes is slow and requires huge efforts.  A loud collective voice will really start to be heard. 

I wanted to leave you with a parting diagram titled: The illusion of choice..................

Enough said

Have a great week

An alternative to coal?

I came across this product in a new magazine called "Green Ideas".  Carbon Scape, a company based in Blenheim, has developed an activated carbon product that is not only cheaper, but it has the potential to replace coal and cut steel mill emissions by 31%.  This new product is generated from sawdust - wood waste from the milling industry.  The company has won some international awards for sustainable technology in the development of this product.

A diagram of the process that produces Carbon Scape's products

See their website for more information: http://carbonscape.com/about/overview/

There is masses of information on this website about activated carbon and about other products as well.  It looks as though activated carbon can be used to soak up CO2 emissions too and clean water, another product biochar can be used to reduce leaching from soil and to improve soil quality.  This is a website well worth taking some time to read and digest. 

Don't forget to post your comments and thoughts.

The Green Police

In Your Weekend magazine, dated 16th February 2013 there was an article titled "Only Natural"

Cover page of 'Your Weekend' magazine which inspired this blog

This article described the growing industry of natural cleaning products and asked if these products are actually better for the environment.  You are probably all familiar with the arguments so I won't  re-visit the subject, but I do want to highlight a useful summary of the environmental accreditation standards that can be obtained here in New Zealand.  

The accreditation standards are listed below. You will need to do further reading to get the full story, and do further investigation of the companies you wish to purchase from to really be sure you are making the best choice. 

Environmental Choice

• Operated and managed by the government owned New Zealand Ecolabelling trust. 
• Generally recognised as NZ's most comprehensive and robust product-focused certification
• Focuses on the life cycle of individual products - including toxicity, water and energy management, consumer information and packaging
• Compliance is audited annually
• Weaknesses include that it does not test whether ingredients come from a sustainable source and there are specification inconsistencies, for example phosphates are excluded from hand dish wash formulations but not laundry or dishwasher formulations.  In addition, the specifications are developed with industry to ensure they are commercially viable.*  

Read more at: http://www.enviro-choice.org.nz/

*In terms of this last comment I would have to say that is is something that everyone does seem fixated on, yet the reality is that if we don't have a sound environment there will be no commercial viability anyway so its kind of a backwards thought, which we need to educate consumers on so they can provide better challenges to companies. 

Enviromark

• Based on a British programme and is owned and managed by Landcare Research.  It focusses on process; specifically, how the company assesses and manages its environmental impact.  It has a life-cycle approach.
• Divides its standard assessment system into bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond.
• Weaknesses are that all products can be labelled with the logo, but individual products are not tested.  The five step certification is also misleading as Enviromark bronze simply means the company is considering environmental impact and complying with the law.  Measurable improvements are not required until gold level.

Read more at: http://www.enviro-mark.co.nz/MainMenu

Green Tick 

• Launched in 2001 by a Wellington couple, products are assessed against 20 criteria based on life-cycle  legal compliance, waste reduction, disposal programmes and raw material sourcing.
• A random sample of products is assessed.  Assessment reports are available online and reassessment occurs every 2 years.
• Weaknesses are that it focusses largely on company process and policies with limited product testing.  Products are not individually certified.  Ecostore was the first Green tick certified but they left because they said the bar was set way to low. 

Read more at: http://www.greentick.com/index.html

The full text from "The Green Police" summaries

Compostable Packaging

 

A bit late with the blog this week so a quick one with a link to a source of compostable packaging.  Found this in the "Good" shopping handbook. 

www.friendlypak.co.nz

Biodegradable?

Unrelated to the friendlypak link, but I have included this little section because they use the word biodegradable:

Remember that biodegradable does not always mean safe for the environment so check if its biodegradable and not compostable, what that actually means.  Case and point is the biodegradable plastic bag that you see at many stores these days.  These break down in sunlight to small fragments of plastic which get into the waterways and into the food chains.  If they end up in landfill they don't break down because there is no sunlight.  Both options are not so good! 

The picture below shows a "biodegradable plastic bag", made from oil based plastics breaking down after being left in the sun.  You can see the little pieces of plastic that will blow their way into the waterways..............

This weeks challenges: 

1. To use compostable plates/cutlery if you are having a BBQ or party at your home or workplace and don't have enough plates and to buy food from food sellers that use compostable packaging.
2. To challenge food sellers, that don't use compostable food packaging, to use it too, point them in the direction of this link or others.
3. To make sure you ensure that the packaging is then placed in the compost or green waste bin, not into landfill.  Remember compostable items that go to landfill will cause release of methane which is a powerful greenhouse gas. 

Backyard gardens

I know we've talked about growing some of your own food before but I thought it was worth another post becasue its a growing area of interest for many people and its is certainly something that is evolving my garden.  Since I have been studying the Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice I learnt a lot more about the word permaculture and have heard and read more about food forests and I have really started to develop an interest in this.  Its all about better utilisation of land to feed ourselves and our communities.  For those interested in food forests you might be interested in this link, to a project by Andy Cambeis who is involved in the development of the Lake Hawea food forest. 

Did you know that the Otago Polytechnic campus in Dunedin is becoming more and more edible each year? Follow this link to find out more

One of the gardens at Otago Polytechnics Dunedin Campus

This link provides a short interesting audio on backyard food production and how much you can produce in a small area.   

Over the past 7 years I have been slowly changing the content of my garden.  We live on an 880m2 section but that includes the house footprint, driveway and a lawn for the kids to play on.  In the remaining space I now have 11 fruiting trees on my property.  Only one so far is mature and I keep it at a height of 2 metres.  It was following the success of that one which I planted 4 years ago  as well as looking at my neighbours fruit trees that encouraged me to plant more. 

My mature apple tree is in the centre of this small garden.  Also in here are 2 lenon tress, a feijoa, another apple tree which is going to be trained along the fence, 4 courgette plants, 10 bean plants and about 10 tomato plants as well as some lettuce seedlings. 

Under the fruiting trees around the garden I have planted some smaller trees.   Around those in the gaps (with no straight lines or specific order) I plant annual vegetables.  I would in no way describe my garden as a permaculture garden but that is now what I understand that I am working towards. Small nut trees are next on my plan.  I just need to learn more about them first. 

I have also discovered potatoes grow well in very shaded areas, around the roots of bigger trees so this year I have kept us in potatoes for 3 months growing them in places where nothing has normally grown.  I was also more vigilant about taking off the outer leaves from lettuces so they would keep producing longer (we've eaten and given away a lot of lettuce this summer) and made sure I planted the next seedlings about 6-8 weeks later, so as the first lettuces came to the end of their eating life, I could leave them to seed and the next would be ready.  I haven't paid for one lettuce since spring either. 

I have also started digging up under utilised areas of lawn around the back of the house after observing for a few years that even though in the winter its pretty cold and bleak, in summer its hot, dry and sheltered so summer annuals are very happy.  In the areas that stay shaded - lots of natives have been going in.  Its a bit of trial and error and learning. 

The value of waiting and observing to decide how to plant a permaculture garden is mentioned often in permaculture resources.  It has certainly been my experience too, that I have either trialled things or observed an area for a while before deciding how to plant it.  The areas I observed longer have generally been more successful with the first things planted. 

I don't use chemicals on the garden and this year I faced a problem on several of the fruit trees with fungus and leaf curl.  I was advised to spray with seaweed concentrate - which I did a bit skeptically to be honest.  Now I wish I had photographed the before and after - I did less than the bottle advised (through forgetfulness) yet they now look awesome.  Money well spent!

The now healthy nectarine tree thanks to the seaweed spray.  The fungus was so bad on this before that the people at the garden centre all washed their hands after touching the leaves I took in to show them. 

I have also learnt to do more just chop and drop - in the past I had removed much of the pruned plants to the compost, but now much if it I just left where it is, especiallya t this time of the year where some areas I don't plan to replant again until spring. This is excellent for weed suppression and provides rotting organic material for garden beetles and bacteria. Later I add compost or bokashi, horse manure, pea straw and grass clippings to keep the organic matter up.  Its not perfect but a work in progress. 

How much time does all this take?  The honest truth is not that much!  Over the whole year I reckon I spend little more than 1 hour a week in the garden.  And the produce tastes so much better that what you can buy at the local supermarket so the time is very well spent. 

If you know more about this than I do - please share! If you have never grown your own food, give it a go.  Start small - a pot on the patio or window sill even and go from there.  If you can't at your place, you might like to get involved with a local community garden.  Refer to this link for a growing list of community gardens in New Zealand. Or for those of you that have a bit more knowledge in this area - maybe you'd like to challenge and lead your workplace into developing edible gardens!  This will provide food, improve the environment and be a learning tool for work colleagues and clients a like. 

Have a great week
Francesca

Cats - should they be banned?

Cats have certainly been a hot topic in the last week or so in the media following Gareth Morgan's out there, "designed to stir heated discussion" statement, and cat lovers are certainly up in arms!  However what a statement that is so far to one  end of the spectrum does is begins a dialogue that was going to happen at some stage anyway.

In some states in Australia and Canada for example, cats are not allowed outside at all, in others only during the day, but they must be inside at night.  It was only a matter of time before this happens here.  After all all out native wildlife would be targets of a hunting cat.

In my opinion the statement made by Gareth Morgan was designed to get the dialogue going and then when the midway solution of cats inside only or inside at night is the outcome it will seem like a compromise. 

So on a sustainability front why am I blogging about this?

1. Cats are our companions.  While for some people it's their dog, for other's the cat has the same meaning.  They are important for our own wellbeing - part of being sustainable. 
2. Cats kill native (and exotic) wildlife - no arguing there.  Even if its not your cat, cats with hunting drive (most cats) and access catch geckos, skinks and native birds as well as non native species.
3. Cats reduce the rodent population - rodents are an introduced pest and cats do keep them in check.  If there were no cats outside hunting at night there would need to be significantly more trapping, poisoning and so forth to keep the population in check especially in urban areas
4. While most cat owners are responsible, there are those that aren't - not desexing, dumping kittens in wildlife areas, leaving a property and not bothering to take their cat.  Those of you in Dunedin will know about the problem in the student area of town with cats. 
5. If we keep our cats inside all the time we have to redesign how we live with them.  For many people that already do this this is a familiar concept but for others it is not.  Cats needs vertical space so they can sit up high and view the world.  They need lots of things to scratch on.  Those with mainly outdoor cats won't notice how much cats scratch but take a close look at trees around your garden if you have a cat.  You will find cat scratch marking - designed as a visual marker of territory.   It is very noticable on cabbage trees.    Another big area overseas exspecially is designing a cat habitat that is enclosed but outside with branches, warm sunny spots and so on.  This idea might appear to some people but others especially on very small sections may not have room for this. Check out this link for more on these cat habitats

What I think is important is cat lovers don't get on the defensive about this.  It is important to have a dialogue and to look at all sides of the story.  It certainly isn't totally clear cut and for  those people that are reacting in a huge way to Gareth Morgan's comments - in my opinion, they will never ban cats, so don't feel that you need to fight that argument. Look at the other options that are more realisitic and be involved in the discussion around those that is likely to arise.

Maybe cat owners should be licensed and all cats microchipped so any cat found that is unmicrochipped is considered unowned.  Maybe certain areas of the country should not be allowed cats that go outside - National Parks for example (I think this might already be the case) and perhaps areas like the Marlborough Sounds, where although it is not a National Park its an area of significance and also of regenerating native bush, but if you live in urban Auckland then they would be allowed free range.  This in itself is fraught with difficulties because there are always grey areas.  Parts of urban Auckland back onto small tracks of native bush for example.  And there are many other things to consider. 

This post is not about answers, its about putting some perspective on the topic and engaging some sensible thought and discussion. 

There are tonnes of websites and images devoted to indoor and/or enclosed cats and lots of products worldwide available to allow cats outside without them hunting the wildlife.  There are of course additional things an owner of a cat that can't exercise its hunting drive with live animals must do, and that means more play with your cat. 

I look forward to comments and feedback.