Solution Living

I'm missing my Compost bin

2010-01-23T16:15:00.000-08:00

Solution Living moved house last week and rather oddly the thing I was most sad to leave behind were my two compost bins .. brimming with worms and really lovely fertile soil/mulch at the bottom! After 10 years of diligently taking out the compost we have THE BEST soil guarnteed to make the garden flourish with a mere sprinkle of it into the top of a pot or around the base of my trees.

So the new owners of my house have them now ... hope they appreciate them. We're off to Bunnings to get a new one today. I have been hating the waste of putting our kitchen scraps into the bin .. the stink and the bin fills up so fast! Really don't understand why anyone would want to fill up a bin full of stinky stuff and leave in the kitchen all week!

5 reasons to have a compost bin ...

it saves the planet - no really reducing household waste and turning it into something useful is one thing evey houshold can do - it's low cost and your garden gets the return on the investment!

no stinky bins in the kitchen all week.

no multiple trips to the main bin as you will hardly have anything in it if you are recylcing too!

free fertilizer for your garden - that costs about $60 a bag and that is about the same cost of the compost bin so you only need to dig it out once to get the return.

creating a little micro environment attracts worms and bugs which in turn attract birds, frogs and lizzards.

So what are you waiting for! I'm off to get mine!

5 little things to help the world this Christmas

2009-12-14T00:08:00.000-08:00

thinking about how I can have a good Christmas while doing a few things that everyone can do that will make a difference ....

Buy some presents from the Oxfam shop.

Choose only FREE RANGE turkey and ham - most good butchers will stock the free range stuff and you won't end up eating tortured or imported meat!

Recycle your cards and buy cards that support a charity or plan a tree like the ones available at http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ and fold your Christmas paper up re use it next year!

Influence / educate friends by buying them eco conscious gifts

Don't buy puppies for Christmas - or if you do rescue one from a home (not a pet shop) and realise that you will have a big smelly dog in a bout 4 months timethat you have to walk every day and pick up it's poo everyday too - it's worth every minute but requires dedication!

If everyone did just one of these things the world would be a better place.

Most of all have fun this Christmas and enjoy the precious time with your families.

Lovely New Eco-Hair Care

2009-09-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to find a sensible, well priced, nice smelling shampoo and conditioner for the family and Ecostore have just re launched thier product offering in the hair sapce and it's great! They all smell of Citrus (called citrus twist!) but have products for fine, dry, normal and anti dandruf - once again they look like nice too. Love you Ecostore .. now available at http://www.solutionliving.com.au/

More on Pork

2009-07-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

My search for free range pork continues ... and to my delight I found that my local butcher at Fairlight is now stocking Cowra Sweet Pork. After suitibly embarasing myself by interogting the butcher down to specifics about where these piggies are born and how they are raised .... they are apparenlty born inside but not in sow crates - in pens .. then the little piggies are allowed to roam outside and forage happliy in the sun with thier mates doing happy grunty piggy things.. until that is, they become dinner ... but that is what this little blog is all about people choosing to vote with thier dollars for better of the world .. and pigs....To eat happy piggies rather than sad ones that have sad lives .. so there you are people you can get happy pork at the Fairlight butcher, Sydney Road Fairlight NSW.. and if Cowra Sweet Pork people had a web site I'd find out where else you can get it .. but I shall track them down and so watch this space .. it's not enough to tell people what not to eat - rather where they can make a difference and a better choice...

Organic Gloss for your lips

2009-07-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

Solution Living has just taken shipment of some fabulous new organic cosmetics from Suvana.

The Suvana lip gloss range and mascaras are fantastic quality and feel as natural as they are whilst giving a really polished look. A must for every girl these are the new generation of cosmetics with no chemicals and made with products that actually nurture and protect your lashes and lips as you use them. I'm addicted to the Autumn & Stardust Bio Gloss and LOVE the Suvana mascara in Cleopatra - Black. Find Solution Living store them in the under You & Basics http://www.solutionliving.com.au/

New Expandable Biodegradable Wipes!

2009-06-25T23:26:00.001-07:00

Just started stocking this fantastic product! Like a tampon - but for your face or really anything you want to use it for .. these great little wipes come in a tube with 10 tablets in them. All you do is add water and you get a lovely soft cotton cloth - no chemicals, totally compostable, and re-useable - amazing - I've been dusting with them and rinsing to re-use, taking make-up off with them, wiping mucky kids hands and showing them to all my friends! GOT to try them!
buy some from http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ it will change your life !.. or just be useful and amuse you!

700 native trees in 3 days!

2009-03-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Not sure what that will do for someone's carbon footprint but my friend Ros at Yeranda near the Barrington Tops in NSW did just that .. planted 700 trees in 3 days - back breaking work, but the rewards in Native birdlife and restoring the environment. No wonder the Wallabies love it there! Might have to get out in the garden this weekend myself won't quite make the 700 but one or two will be good for the soul! Go on get out there!

2009-03-10T23:11:00.001-07:00

Hey was sent this the other day and wanted to share it ... for when you're feeling a bit hopeless - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA have a look and you will see that we are all responsible for the way we look at our world and how we act in it.

Help with creating an Eco Eden

2009-03-07T23:46:00.001-08:00

Garden Deva is Go! A dear friend of mine Cherise Haslam started a sustainable Garden design consultancy in Perth in 2000. She specialises in creativng personalised gardens and is passionate about plant selection, water conservation and also is very involved in community gardens. it you are lucky enough to live in WA then you are able to recruit her services However if you don;t you can always visit her website www.gardendeva.com .au and can sign up to her brilliant e-newsletter which is full of handy, useful and interesting gardening tips. For more ideas on better choices visit www.solutionliving.com.au

2009-03-03T01:51:00.000-08:00

Unbelievably I read the other day that only 20% of the eggs consumed in Australia are free range - frigging outrageous! Are the other 80% of people really so worried about a couple of bucks that they choose cage eggs to save money? Do they actually THINK at all about the poor chooks crammed in those uncomfortable wire boxes? There is a better way folks and it is worth every cent .. so just please have a think as you look at the options. Or even better still if you have a garden think about having your own chooks - I have Naomi and Claudia the supermodels who I love the death roaming in our garden in suburban Sydney. They eat all of the edible kitchen scraps (pretty much everything other than garlic and onion) eat garden pests, trim the lawn and fertilise the garden. two chooks provide plenty of eggs for our family. They lie down on the back doorstep and sunbake with the dog, and come when they are called. My children adore them. I'm happy to advise if you would like to consider having your own chooks and there are some great books out there too. The good karma will come back one day! Visit www.solutionliving.com.au for more good conscious choice alternatives for everyday living...

Farm or Bush getway ....

2009-02-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

Yeranda and Williams Valle View are two fantastic affordable getways both siutated at the lovely town of Dungog just three hours from Sydney (by car or by train).

Yeranda and WVV are run by Ros and Kevin Runciman who have over 20 years experience in the hospitality industry. They are keen conservationists and have set Yeranda up for people who like to get out in the bush and enjoy the peace and privacy. Their property is a wildlife conservation area and the bush walks though the fern gullies are simply divine.

Williams Vally View is a family friendly farm getway on top of a hill overlooking the lush Williams Valley the house has stunning views, amazing sunsets and overlooks the Hunter Valley Warm Blood horse stud (complete with frolicking foals!). Due to it's proximity to the World heritage listed wildlife area of the Barrinton Tops your kids can watch Dingos and kangaroos in the paddocks as well as all sorts of birds.

A large trampoline for the kids, a dam, two cows, great bike rides, nearby horseriding and bush walks all ensure a great family stay. For bookings please contact Ros at http://www.yeranda.com.au/

Easy Nappy choice for Eco Mums

2009-02-23T14:12:00.000-08:00

New Product available at the http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ online store ...Moltex Eco Nappies. These Nappies are 100% biodegradable! They come in sizes from newborn up to toddler (my large 4 year old has been wearing them to bed and we havn't had a single leak yet!)

So how do these amazing nappies work? The breathable backsheet is made from 100% biodegradable material. Biodegradable Gel - 20% of the absorbent granules in the core of the nappy has been replaced by specially developed environmental granules based on maize starch. 100% Chlorine Free – manufactured using 50% unbleached woodpulp and 50% chlorine free bleached woodpulp which means no toxic residues from bleaching agents that could harm your baby's skin. These great nappies also contain tea leaf extract in the core to help with odour control. Tea leaf has also proven very effective in protecting against fungi, viruses and yeast, ie nappy rash. These nappies also don't have all the other synthetic lotions and fragrances other nappies do.

The thing I was most impressed with was how soft they were. After trying all the different brands from the most expensive, 'eco' branded supermarket nappies right down to the home brands - these nappies are by far the softest - they actually feel silky.

Moltex Eco Nappies are Compostable! The inner contents of the nappy have proven to breakdown to make excellent compost and will break down within 8-10 weeks in a wormery.

So - no more Mummy eco guilt and no more nappies in plastic bags clogging up the bin - and at least if you do throw them into the rubbish you know that they will break down .. just don't put them in a non biodegradable plastic bag! www.solutionliving.com.au are stocking the full range as well as our great WOTNOT biodegradable nappy bags - so why wait? Make the change today!

New Ecostore products for you!

2009-02-15T21:08:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to let you know about some new highly desireable products from Ecostore - that great New Zealand based company. They have now launched a range of products for YOU. Ecostore are known for thier brilliant eco friendly alternatives for things like Dishmachine powder and Laundry detergent - I particularly like the dishmachine powder - LOVING anything that still allows me to use my dishwasher and be eco friendly!! Anyway I digress - they are now producing some lovely products such as my favourite Orancge and Patchouli Body wash and hand pump soaps. They also come in Rose and Cardamon, and Vanilla and Coconut LOVING LOVING LOVING - they smell divine, are lovely to use and are good for the environment and your family what more could you want .... you can buy them online at http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ in the YOU section of the shop.

Helping Australian Native Animals in the Victoria Bushfire Disaster

2009-02-13T01:15:00.000-08:00

Just a quick one as i was wondering how I could assist the injured wildife in Victoria. It is now estimated that up to a million animals have perished with many more injured. If you want to do something to help can, by dontating to: Victoria Wildlife Care

They are a Victorian based organisation involved in wildlife rescue and care and is currently taking donations. They have lost two of their animal shelters in the fires. If you would like to make an online donation or for all other enquiries please visit their website http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/.

Alternatively you can post donations to:
Suite 3 / 288 Brunswick St
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Email enquiries can be sent to
or ring (03) 9445 0310 from 10am-4pm

If you would like to assist in caring for Livestock and domestic animals effected you should visit the Victorian arm of the RSPCA who can take an online donation at http://www.rspcavic.org/ I also know of friends sending donations of livestock feed over - great to see that everyone is trying to do thier bit to help.

One day a difference ...

2009-02-10T01:48:00.000-08:00

Jan 2 2009 It was a windy day and we walked from the corner of Tallows beach right up to where Tallows creek meets the sea. The sea was choppy and the wind was whipping around us as we leaned into the wind. I was in heaven, miles away from work and stress .. it started when I saw a clear plastic bag in the washed up seaweed (just the type of litter that kills the beautiful sea turtles we had seen from the lighthouse earlier that day).... and went from there, a couple of bait packets (ironic that those who enjoy the fruits of the sea care so little for it), a plastic container lid, a condom(picked up with a stick), bottles from NYE celebrations, a straw, bits of broken balloon, a couple more plastic shopping bags .. I had quite a collection at the end of my walk and a huge sense of satisfaction in the fact that anyone else walking on that beach that day would not find a scrap of rubbish ..... Why am I telling you this? Hopefully it will inspire you to do the same one day - it's so true one person can make a difference!

Poolguard - saves water!

2009-02-09T01:39:00.000-08:00

Here at Solution Living, we love finding things that allow you to enjoy life to the full while reducing your impact. A great new product worth mentioning is the Poolguard pool cover. With water restrictions and everyone trying to reduce thier energy useage these great covers are the answer to the eco conscious pool owner.

There are three main benefits:

Increase pool safety - they are so strong a child and pets can walk on them.

The prevent water evapouration and retain heat - reducing both the need to heat the pool and the need to re-fill it.

Keeps the pool clean also reducing the need to use chemicals.

They are easy to put on and off and work on a simple roller system which tucks the cover away with no physical effort. Arnbrook Installations in Sydney NSW are the experts in installation and can be reached on 0417215953 or to find out more visit http://www.solutionliving.com.au/

Manly West School Organic Market

2007-12-15T02:24:00.001-08:00

Quick note to let you know that every saturday morning from 8am through to 12pm Solution Living has a stall at the Manly West schoolgrounds on Sydney's Northern Beaches. There are great certified organic vegies, music, sprouts, trinkets, cakes, vegie and lentil patties.

And of course http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ has a stall there so it you want to order something and save yourself the postage we'd be happy to see you there!

Annoying Morons at the Supermarket

2007-11-03T01:28:00.000-07:00

Yes .. this is going to be a little rant. I am SO annoyed at people at Supermarkets who STILL don't get that plastic bags are BAD and that we should NOT use them! I stood behind a lady the other day who had EVERY item possible in a plastic bag - even the already wrapped items such as watermelon were also in another plastic bag - she actually could not have used more bags if she tried. Not only was I horrified at her stupidity, I was also quite depressed and I looked around and people everywhere were merrily using the plastic bags.

There is more as I observing her plastic I noticed that she was a mother from kindy and she is my age! She has no excuse for being old and set in her ways .... what was she thinking?

Ok I have had days when I'm in a rush and I've left the green shopping bags behind and have sheepishly shopped and scurried away with my plastic bags - which of course I re-use at home. We all have those days. Because I know I am busy and a total scatter brain I have two sets of bags one at home and one in the car.

So what do the people who are still using plastic bags think as they shop?

Anyway http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ is now stocking a brilliant inventio to bansih the plastic bags people use to weigh their fruit and veg. These clever bags weigh nothing, and a little bag of four clips on to your normal shopping bags. The Onya Weigh bag is a must for those of us who do actually THINK at the check out. Follow the Solution Living link and go to the Kitchen section of the site.

Eat Free Range Pork!

2007-11-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write to let you know that in Australia now, you can buy Free Range Pork at the supermarket! Woolworths are now stocking RSPCA certified Free Range Pork in the meat section (as well I might add as quite a good range of organic meat). This has just appeared in the last couple of weeks. I have deliberately not eaten Pork for some time (nor has my family as I am the primary shopper) due to the way Pigs are farmed in cruel, cramped little prison pens (yes even in Australia). So I was really pleased to find this range on offer.

KR Castlemain are also now offering Free Range sliced sandwich ham and bacon However they are labelled 'bred free range' to which a fellow blogger alerted me to - and which means I think they were still raised indoors - so I'm looking in to this and will get back to you with my findings.

The more people who are choosing to eat meat from cruelty free farming practices the more pressure there will be on the mass producers to whom the animals happiness is worthless.

http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ is now stocking "The Ethics of What We Eat" it is really essential reading for anyone wanting to make better informed food choices. So follow the link and head to the shop and then the reading section.

To read more about this and the RSCPA certification process in Australia you can head to http://www.rspca.org.au/ it's a pretty shocking state of affairs for Australia to have such terrible practice in Agriculture.

What's wrong with a bit of bi-carb and vinegar?

2007-10-10T03:31:00.001-07:00

I am a bit tired of reading books where people are telling me 1000 uses for bi-carb of soda. I much admire people who mix their own concoctions at home and manage to get a good finish on the surfaces without a white residue .. but really.... here are my reasons for not wanting to go down the bi-carb route
1) Well for a start it doesn't smell that good does it?
2) It kind of feels like going back to the dark ages.
3) Who has time to mix up various concoctions (let alone read up on how to and what for)

Mainly I have to come back to the smell as I am sure the results are probably good, let's face it there was a reason we looked for something better in the first place ... and now we can have fabulous smelling, effective products that clean our clothes, homes, cars, kitchens and don't harm our environment ... to buy some of these great products click here http://www.solutionliving.com.au/shopping/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

Why choose organic Feminine Hygine products?

2007-10-10T02:19:00.000-07:00

It seemed logical to me without looking in to it too much that organic tampons and sanitary pads would be a good idea. They are not readily available in supermarkets and are for many women an every day essential item. However I thought some of my shoppers would like a bit more detail. Natracare the company that manufactures the products available on the Solution Living site was founded by Susie Hewson out of concern to help protect both women's health and the environment.

Dioxins are the reason why your regular (pardon the pun) sanitary items are an inferior choice. The use of Chlorine in the bleaching of the cotton used to make your run of the mill tampons etc creates dioxins and it is these dioxins that are harmful to both the environment and your health.

According to an article on the Natracare site titled 'Women seek out more natural feminine care products' dioxin has been "linked to cancer, endometriosis, low sperm counts and immune system suppression". The Natracare products are made with organic cotton, no chlorine and no fragrance. "Hewson, explained, "Women simply want to use a product that is natural, and Natracare feminine care gives them that choice. Choosing natural means that you are avoiding potential contact with pesticides, herbicides, dioxin residuals, deodorizes, azo dyes, plastics and synthetics." To read the full article go to http://www.natracare.com/news/news_articles_7.htm
It is a pretty compelling read, so now you know ....... to buy Natracare products as well as other natural bathroom essentials click on this link http://www.solutionliving.com.au/shopping/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7

Why Phosphate Free Cleaners?

2007-10-06T17:16:00.001-07:00

I was having dinner with some good friends the other night and was showing them some of the Solution Living cleaning products. The male of our party asked why the products were good for the environment and how they were different to supermarket brands and why were phosphates bad?

Well lets start with Phosphates...... Phosphates are naturally occurring in the environment as a result of rock weathering and organic decomposition. Phosphates in the water only become a problem when they reach “unnaturally” high levels and are taken up by phytoplankton and other aquatic plants. When this occurs these high levels can result in algal blooms. By sending detergents used for washing clothes, dishes, cars etc down the drain and into our waterways we cause ecological imbalances. So ... Solution Living Products are Phosphate FREE.

Other reasons to buy Solution Living products are: They contain organic ingredients, are fragranced only by essential oils, are 100% biodegradable, grey water friendly, are free of animal products and are not tested on animals. They are made in Australia, contain no chemicals including SLS and artificial preservatives. They work well, smell good, look good .... what more could you ask for! To buy them click here http://www.solutionliving.com.au/shopping/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

In the begining

2007-08-24T02:49:00.000-07:00

The idea behind Solution Living - Is that you can live well, and in fact better by being a conscious consumer. There is no reason at all why you should live like a hippy and give up all of your mod cons to save the planet. Environmentally responsible products need not look ugly, smell bad or perform poorly. In fact there are sophisticated, highly developed and exceptional products now available and you find them on our site.

At Solution Living we have sourced, developed and tested products either manufactured by us or sourced by us that : smell great, work really well and look good.

The other products that we sell have all been tested or are used daily by us. The products all boast some, if not all of the following qualities: they work well, smell good, are organic or have ingredients that are farmed using organic practices, are associated with fair trade markets. Without exception they are far superior to the products you'll find in the supermarket.

We also care about where they come from and who makes them. We endeavour to give you as much information about the background of the products as we can.

None of our products contain the toxic chemicals found in mainstream products. All of our products are environmentally responsible, contain no animal products (except for the goats milk soap!), are not tested on animals.

All of our containers are re-cycled and if you order from us you will get an interesting mix of packaging as we re-use and re-cycle all of our packaging.

All in all if you buy anything from this site you are likely to be : creating to a healthier environment in your home, a less toxic world, fair trade, reducing pollution and our impact on the planet.

You will also be buying superior products, luxury products and products of the finest quality.

We hope you enjoy our store and tell your friends about us! Spread the word!