Posts tagged as: guide

Looking back at 2012

By Luke Gibbons in Videos on 27 December 2012

2012 in reviewAs we count down the final days and hours on this year, we thought it timely to take a stroll down memory lane and reflect on some of the things we’ve seen in the last 12 months. Here are our top 5 highlights…

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27
DEC
2012

Reading your water meter

By Luke Gibbons in Living, Videos on 18 May 2011

water_meter2Previously here on the ripple effect, we have looked at how to fix a dripping tap, but what do you do if the leak isn’t at the tap, but somewhere in the pipework on the property?  How would you even know there was a leak? Thankfully the trusty water meter is useful for more than just calculating the cost of your water usage.  You can use your water meter to monitor your own water consumption and even to detect some of those hidden leaks on your property. To see if water is being lost somewhere on your property, simply check the water meter at night, just before you go to bed, after the last person has gone to the loo.  Then check the meter again in the morning before any water is used.  If the reading has changed over night, then you probably have a leak, so it’s a good idea to call a plumber. To track your household water consumption, simply check your water meter daily or weekly at a regular time.  As you go, compare to past readings to see how you’re doing.  To help you record your readings, you can download this handy water meter reading guide. …

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18
MAY
2011

Make something for Mum

By Luke Gibbons in Living on 5 May 2011

mother daughterWhen buying a gift for mum, it’s easy to fall into the trap of scooting through a gift shop when you have time and picking something up in a hurry.  But I think what mums really cherish are the gifts we make ourselves (even though they may not be perfect).  So let’s look at some sustainable home made gift ideas for this Mothers’ Day. To start off with… We might as well start with the beginning of the day: brekky in bed.  Whether it’s French Toast or bacon and eggs you are making, use free range eggs, or even better, eggs from chickens in your own backyard.  Make sure the bacon is organic or free range too!  After breakfast you can recycle any scraps in the compost. Crafty gifts… Next up is the humble home craft Mothers’ Day card (and this one is for the big kids too!).  I can almost guarantee you will have stacks of recyclable materials to get you started here, like some old magazines.  Take to the scissors and PVA glue like you’re back in grade prep again (you even get to peel the PVA off your fingers when you’re done.) While you are at it, you can …

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5
MAY
2011

Will you be having an ethical Easter?

By Luke Gibbons in Living, Our planet on 22 April 2011

Easter EggEaster is a great time of year to catch up with friends, family and even reflect on the deeper things in life but let’s not forget our furry friend the Easter Bunny (or Bilby if you are that way inclined). This little character must be faced with a bit of a conundrum as he decides which brand of chocolates to buy for us all. I know I have faced this dilemma myself, strolling through Woolies, met with walls of shiny foil-covered chocolate treats. What we find shaping our purchase decision can usually by simplified to quality vs price (usually quality when I am buying for myself and price when I am buying for others)… but in all seriousness, how often do we consider if the chocolate we are buying is sourced and produced ethically? I have to admit, up until now very rarely! From a Facebook poll we ran on Thursday, it seems that I’m not alone.  We asked friends if they were going to buy ethical chocolate this Easter. At the time of writing, 36% (myself included) said they did not know which brands were ethical.  Fortunately this Easter, there is a solution to this dilemma. The Ethical Consumer Guide …

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22
APR
2011