Moon Pads
&
Brinsmead Babies
eNewsletter January 2005
Sustainable Living Festival,
Friday 14 to Sunday 16 February
This big event is on again this summer at Federation Square in central Melbourne in just a few weeks time. Come along, discover all kinds of ways you can live lightly on planet Earth. Make sure you say "hello" at our stall. Introduce yourself as one of our eNewsletter customers and we'll give you a FREE calico bag celebrating "Coles Bay, Tasmania, Australia's first plastic bag free town".
To find out about other sustainable events across Victoria, go to <http://www.sustainablelivingcalendar.org.au>
Job vacant
Casual for 4 days
New colours for Moon Pads
I am in the process of making Moon Pads in new colours... hoping to have some ready to take to Melbourne... keep an eye on the website for some new colour photos!
Moon Pads for Tsunami Relief
300 Moon Pads sailed out of Hobart this week bound for Indonesia as part of AusAid relief for Tsunami stricken areas. They are on board a Tasmanian-built catamaran, which is delivering Tasmanian donated goods en route to France to begin ferry service across the English Channel. My thanks to those who contributed funds at short notice to pay for an extra 140 pads, almost doubling those I had donated from Moon Pads. "We send these Moon Pads to Indonesia with our thoughts and wishes for you at this time - may you find courage, strength and co-operation as you rebuild your lives and communities."
Rubbish - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
I thought I was a good reuser of newspaper till I came across this list in the Home Environmentalist vol 12 No 1. Happy Reusing!
1. Make paper mache handicrafts
2. Dampen and spread over window-panes before painting
3. Emergency dustpan
4. Crumple and place in a smelly suitcase for a couple of weeks to remove stale odours
5. Crumple (no colours) and place in smelly plastic containers to absorb odours
6. P;ace a sheet in jar tops to tighten loose lids
7. Cut out articles and make a scrap book on a specific subject of interest
8. Occupy children letting them colour in the comics/cartoons
9. Protect table when children are painting or gluing
10. Place under heavy objects on tables
11. Use as a knee pad when gardening or scrubbing floors
12. Swat flies with rolled up sheets
13. Make a litter bag for your car
14. Protect car seats from muddy or wet clothing
15. Put under car wheels when stuck in snow, mud or sand
16. Place on windscreen to prevent icing [in frosty conditions]
17. Use as a mat for wet muddy shoes
18. Use as an umbrella when caught in the rain
19. Spread on the floor underneath rug when shampooing
20. Place in closed windows to eliminate wind rattle
21. Stuff under doors and in cracks to stop a cold draft from coming in
22. Use to raise the height of a child whilst sitting at the table
23. Use a stack as a step stool
24. Cover plants during a frost
25. Wrap green tomatoes in newspaper to ripen
26. Shred and stuff in vases to support fresh flowers
27. Spread out between garden rows to discourage weeds
28. Line the bottom of a bird cage
29. Line a pet's sleeping box
30. Wrap up produce from the garden to give away
31. Start fires using kindling and old newspapers
32. Use as a fan to make fires burn better
33. Use as padding under a table cloth
34. Put into loose shoes to tighten
35. Stuff into wet shoes overnight to dry and deodorize
36. Use as a mat when polishing shoes
37. Stuff in leather shoes to preserve their shape
38. Stuff hats to preserve their shape
39. Stuff leather handbags to keep their shape
40. Spread over outdoor benches to protect clothing
Source: Publishers National Environment Bureau
And I have to add a few more which we use in our house:
41.Use under garden mulch to smother weeds
42. Use to wrap (non compostable!) kitchen waste ready for your plastic bag free rubbish bin
43. Use to press and dry plant specimens