We
believe the key to changing the world is about
all of us making our little contribution. So
when we decided to make The Aware Network a
reality, we were determined to live by the ideals
we were promoting and walk our talk. As such,
we are committed to making our business as eco-friendly
as possible. We took on the motto of the three
R's reduce, re-use and recycle.
"Create Change one step at a time"
By making small changes to our own lives, we
can have a positive impact on the world around
us.
People HAVE changed the status quo
by simply standing up for what they believe
and not sitting down until that change is realised.
It is up to us to continue raising awareness,
campaigning and ethically consuming for a world
in which everyone benefits, not just the rich.
Stand up and be counted. Become part of an ever-growing
community who don't just want change, but make
it happen.
Here we provide you with some links and suggestions
for how to become a more considerate consumer.
Clothing
Purchase Fair Trade clothes, recycled, re-use
and re-make old clothes. Or donate your old
clothes to a charity shop. If you don't wear
them anymore, there are other people who can
benefit from them. Try buying second hand clothing
from charity shops; you'll be surprised what
you might find.
Q:
Why are we so
fussy about what's behind our food and not our
clothes?
Green is the New Black – Ethical Fashion:
Why can't 'unethical' (sweatshops,
dangerous dyes and chemicals, animal cruelty
etc) be the abnormal and ethical be the norm?
Desirable
Principals of Ethical Fashion
- Bio-degradable Fabrics
- Slave-Free/ Non-sweatshop Manufacturing
- Carries a Fairwear or Fairtrade label
- Animal-Cruelty Free
- Handmade by a traditional weaver or cottage
industry
- Fabric and Manufacturing that does not pollute
the environment
- Well-made
- Stylish
- Organic Fabrics
- Carbon Neutral company
- Uses recycled materials from pre-loved quality
fabrics.
There
are numerous other on line fair-trade clothing
and footwear providers:
-
Try to get your workplace to recycle waste and
use recycled paper!
- Buy recycled and recyclable products –
look for the logo!
- Look for products made using recyclable packaging…
- Why not keep a vegetable patch or herb garden
for increased self-sufficiency or if you don't
have a garden make yourself a herb garden window-box.
- Create a compost heap in your garden!
- Give something back to the earth and save
up all your tea bags, and vegetable peelings
and add them to the compost – not only
is this being highly environmentally friendly,
but will also be good for the rose beds. Put
the compost out Jasmine!
According to the Chartered Institution of Water
and Environmental Management:
"Home
composting offers a complementary route to
civic amenity collection sites and centralised
treatment for garden waste. Recent estimates
indicate that participating households, on
average, may divert 400 kg per year of organic
waste from landfill" www.ciwem.org
Vehicle Travel
Car emissions are having an extremely detrimental
effect on the environment, especially in urban
areas.
Are there journeys that you make in the car
or by bus that if you're honest, you could have
walked or ridden on your bike? By riding or
walking you will be polluting less and will
be fitter and healthier.
Sometimes distances are too far to walk or ride
so then you should make an effort to use public
transport like buses, trams, trains or try to
get a car sharing scheme running with people
at your work. You may not realise how many people
travel to work from places along your route.
Sometimes you do have to take the car, so therefore
it is important that you drive the most fuel
efficient car that you need:
•
Car Pool to get around. http://www.carpooling.com.au/
• Ensure the fuel cap on your car is
well-fitted to avoid the unnecessary release
of fumes from your petrol tank into the air
where they can be breathed in and contribute
to photochemical smog
• Consider converting to Liquid Petroleum
Gas (LPG). This will not only reduce your
contribution to air pollution, but is also
more cost effective
• By removing any extra wind resisting
items from your car, such as the roof rack,
you will save on fuel and at the same time
improve air quality
• Check regularly that your tyres are
inflated to the specified pressure to reduce
resistance
• If possible, don't use your car at
all during periods of high pollution
• Start your engine only once you are
ready to move off
• Don't rev the engine unnecessarily
• Drive smoothly. Heavy braking and
rapid acceleration means you use more fuel
and increase pollution
• Keep to the speed limit
Laundry
Remember to buy green and eco detergents and
cleaning agents. Harsh chemicals need not go
down our drains and into the sea when there
are brilliant alternatives popping up.
Cosmetics
Animal
friendly
Many cosmetics are tested on animals, so to
avoid brands that do, look for the HCS seal
of approval on products for assurance that they
are officially animal friendly.
The Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS) is the world's
only international criteria for cosmetic or
toiletry products that are 'Not Tested on Animals'.
The HCS was launched in 1998 by an international
coalition of animal protection groups from across
the European Union and North America, including
the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments.
Some companies may claim "This product
has not been tested on animals", but the
ingredients may well have been animal tested,
which can be misleading for consumers. By offering
a single, internationally recognised cruelty-free
criterion, the Humane Cosmetics Standard helps
ethical consumers boycott animal testing companies
by only buying products that are not animal
tested.
Food –
local and fairtrade
Look for fairtrade certified food products in
your local supermarket.. and if it's not there
don't hesitate in asking them to start stocking
an alternative fairtrade brand.
Green Energy
One of the biggest differences you can make
to fight climate change is to switch to a genuinely
green supplier. http://www.countryenergy.com.au/#
Join mailing
lists!
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Join Now
This
is one of the best ways to stay in the loop.
Decide which issues you are most interested
in and research them online. If you do not have
a computer – join your local library!
The following websites are listed only as guidelines,
you may be more passionate about other issues
but through them you will find further links:
• www.waronwant.org
• www.wdm.org.uk World Development Movement
• www.tjm.org.uk Trade Justice Movement
• www.pressureworks.org
Check out the New Internationalist Magazine
for info on the Global Justice Movement, (they
produce a monthly journal, each one focusing
on a different issue) and the Ethical Consumer
Magazine for info on the social and environmental
records of the companies behind the brand names.
See: www.newint.org and www.ethicalconsumer.org
to subscribe.
Animal
friendly