THE SWAG BLOG — Category_Environment

Have you ever researched what impact you as a consumer has on the world and our food supply chains?

Here at The Swag, we’re all about natural living, zero waste and taking care of the environment. One fantastic way to do this is to use a compost bin, which is an enclosed version of a compost heap or compost pile, in your home or business. There are numerous benefits of starting your own compost bin including sending less waste to landfill, reducing pollution and promoting the growth of fruit, vegetables, flowers, plants and trees. Below we have compiled a list of tips and tricks, so you can quickly and easily start your very own compost pile today:  Build or Buy...

This post has been contributed by Tammy Logan of Gippsland Unwrapped.  Based in Gippsland, Tammy combines 20 years of qualifications and work experience in conservation biology, natural resource management, science communication and community engagement with her dairy farming roots to deliver practical sustainable living solutions. The plastic free and zero waste movements have become very popular! And rightly so, I’ve found the benefits to be far reaching both environmentally and personally. As the primary meal planner, shopper and cook in our household, I have noticed five significant ways that reducing food packaging has led to reduced food waste. Buying plastic free food means I can...

It's everywhere right? So why should we hate plastic so much?   1. The Great Pacific "Garbage Patch" Discarded cheap plastic 'stuff' has contributed to the creation of a million-square-mile garbage vortex in the Pacific Ocean called the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch'. Some estimates say this plastic pollution as big as 5,000,000 square miles, 8% of the Pacific Ocean’s surface. Carried by the currents. Slowly breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces, washing up by the ton on nearby islands. The fish and marine life are eating these particles and this toxic waste is moving it's way up the food...

Most of us will choose a New Year’s resolution of some description for 2019. For many, it’s related to health and fitness or saving more money in the year ahead. However, while these are great ideas why not also include the health of the world around us in your goals for 2019? Below are 4 ways you can focus on being kinder to the environment in 2019: Use a Re-Usable Coffee Cup and Water Bottle It’s estimated as many as 50 billion disposable coffee cups end up in the landfill every year. While it’s hard to picture just how much...

One of the main reasons we founded The Swag was due to our huge concerns around the effect’s plastic was having on the world we live in. Plastic is, for the most part, non-biodegradable and plays havoc with the environment including the oceans and dry land. As a result, we took Mahatma Gandhi’s advice to ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ and created organic, natural alternatives to plastic food storage bags. Below are tips on how you can go plastic-free for a week, and hopefully beyond! Even if you adopt half of the tips below, you’re...

Every day we hear about the effects climate change is having on the world we live in. Carbon pollution is having a serious negative impact on the environment and governments around the world are introducing plans to combat it. It is affecting the weather causing natural disasters and crop failure, amongst other environmental issues. Collectively we all contribute by the decisions we make each day. Below are 5 ways to reduce your individual carbon footprint to minimize your impact on our precious surroundings: Take Public Transport Vehicle emissions are a huge contributor to carbon pollution in Australia and around the...

It’s been highly published in recent years just how big of a negative impact plastic product are having on our environment and the world around us. Here at The Swag, we’re very passionate about sourcing alternatives to plastic and below are 15 quick tips for drastically reducing your individual plastic usage: Use a re-usable cup for your coffee fix preventing plastic lids or cups being needlessly thrown away each time. Buy cardboard boxes instead of plastic bottles where possible, for items such as laundry powder or dishwashing tablets. For your grocery shopping use a reusable cotton bag instead of the...

There are many benefits associated with starting your own vegetable patch here in Australia. It can save you money, help the environment and it also comes with the massive benefit of knowing exactly where your fresh produce is coming from and exactly what it has been treated with. It’s also not as daunting a task as many think - it just takes time, patience and a little trial and error. Below are 5 tips from us here at The Swag HQ to start your very own vegetable-garden right here in Australia: Consider Soil & Location Carefully The location of your...

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ll have been hearing more and more about the benefits of the vegan lifestyle. Many people around the world have adopted the vegan diet including many famous faces both here in Australia and around the world. Most choose to go vegan to show their opposition to how farm animals are treated, and the effects mass farming is having on our planet. Below are some A-list evangelists of the vegan lifestyle: Liam Hemsworth & Miley Cyrus Our own home-grown Aussie Liam Hemsworth is one half of an extremely famous...

There is no shortage of articles, podcasts and presentations available online about the dangers of plastic and the detrimental impact it’s having on our environment. However, despite this wealth of information available, many people still choose to use plastic bags as their storage bag of choice. Whether its carrying your groceries from the supermarket to your home or storing your fresh fruit and vegetables and other foods, plastic is not the only answer and certainly isn’t the best one. Each one of us can make a huge difference to the world around us by making changes to adopt a more...

If you have ever opened your refrigerator or cupboard door to take out some fruit or vegetables to prepare only to find that they’ve started to decay, then you’re not alone. Australians waste tonnes of fruit and veg each year by letting it expire before consuming it. What many people don’t know is that there are natural ways to prolong the lifespan of your fruit and vegetables in storage. Below we have outlined some of our favourite tips for keeping your fruit and veg fresher for longer: Shop Local Where possible, it’s great to shop for fresh produce locally for...