save moneysave the planet

a handy guide

for families about

sustainable living

by Phoenix St Children’s Centre

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A Vietnamese version of this publication is also available at Phoenix Street Children’s Centre,80 Phoenix Street, North Sunshine 3020

T: 9310 2929

: Phoenix Street Children’s Centre

Facebook “f ” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f ” Logo CMYK / .eps

a sustainable future

This guide demonstrates the many ways that we can do our bit for the environment, such as:• reducing your rubbish• saving water• keeping chickens• planting your own fruit and vegies• composting ideas, and;• recycling in the home

The more we understand the environment, the better we are able to care for it, and education is the first step the early childhood industry can take towards that.

At Phoenix Street Children’s Centre we strive to empower children, families and the community with sustainable living principles.

Children are our future, so teaching them about sustainability is essential to the well-being of our planet.

We hope you find this guide useful;keep it close by for a handy reference.

Narrelle Cahill,Director, Phoenix Street Children’s Centre

Welcome to our user-friendly handbook with essential information about reducing household waste, and conserving water and energy in our local community.

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Shop by looking for products with minimal packaging , or that are made from recycled materials or can be refilled, reused or recycled.

Make gifts and cards for family and friends, rather than buying them.

Maintain and repair clothes, toys, tools and appliances rather than replacing them with new ones.

reduce

Hire, share and borrow items rather than buying new ones.

Join a toy library, or swap toys with friends.Have a clothes swap party.

Buy quality products that are durable, won’t go out of fashion quickly, and that can be repaired.

Buy rechargeable batteries so you can use them over and over again.

Reduce simply means living more carefully so that you have less rubbish to get rid of later on(at the same time your savings will add up).

downsize

your bin

and save

Did you know you can downsize your rubbish bin to an 80 litre size and pay a smaller fee? Contact Brimbank City Council for more information, or refer to the “Waste and Recycling in Brimbank” brochure available at the Council offices.

Detox Your Home Centre

Brimbank Council offers a drop off centre for a range of products which must not be placed into your house bins.

Stadium Drive, Keilor ParkOpen Mon - Fri 9-41st Saturday of each month

Accepted: All types of batteries, fluoro tubes, paint and motor oil, gas cylinders, TVs and computer monitors, computers, hard drives, printers, faxes, keyboards and modems.

Q:what do I do

with old batteries?

A: take them to

the detox centre

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Grow your own vegetables and flowers.

Buy food from bulk stores or markets. Take your own bags to be refilled.

Buy fresh foods where possible and compost the scraps.

Make foods at home instead of buying takeaways or convenience foods.

saving water at homeCutting back on your water usage means not only a happier environment but a lower water bill. Try these easy ways to conserve water at home. Avoid wasting drinking water from a running tap: collect it in a bottle or jug and store it in the fridge until it is cool enough to drink.

Garbage-disposal units use about 6 litres of water per day. Put suitable food scraps into a composter or worm farm rather than down the kitchen sink.

When you clean your fish tank, use the ‘old’ nitrogen and phosphorous-rich water on your plants.

Install a water tank to collect rainwater to water your garden.

Cut down your shower time. Use a timer to keep your shower to less than four minutes, and save up to 90 litres per day. dishwasher tips

Look for dishwashers that have a WELS label. The best water rating achieved by dishwashers is 6 stars.

Only use the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Use the rinse-hold setting on the dishwasher, if it has one, rather than rinsing dishes under the tap.

Water saving tips WORKSHOP

City West Water will provide information and samples of water

saving resources.

Contact Phoenix StreetChildren’s Centre for more

details on 9310 2929

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tap tipsWhen washing dishes by hand, don’t rinse them under a running tap. If you have two sinks, fill the second one with rinsing water. If you have only one sink, stack washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a pan of hot water.

Use washing-up liquid sparingly as this will reduce the amount of rinsing required when washing dishes by hand.

Use a plugged sink or a pan of water. This saves running the tap continuously.

When boiling vegetables, use enough water to cover them and keep the lid on the saucepan. Your vegetables will boil quicker and it will save you water, power, and preserve precious vitamins in the food.

Flow-controlled aerators for taps are inexpensive and can reduce water flow by 50%.

Don’t use running water to defrost frozen food. Ideally place food in refrigerator to defrost overnight.

If you have a leaking tap, replace the washer or other components as required. Dripping taps can waste 30–200 litres of water per day.

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home grown eggs are tastier Shop bought eggs can be there for days or weeks. Air seeps into the porous eggshell and affects the nutrients, taste, and consistency of the eggs. Fresh eggs should have firmer whites and bright orange yolks.

good for your compost Chicken poop is high in nitrogen which is great for your compost bin. You can even compost the used egg shells.

they improve your garden They are natural foragers so free-range chickens will scratch the soil looking for bugs like earwigs; the same bugs that eat your summer fruits and veggies. Plus, as they turn the soil, it’ll aerate, break up vegetations, and accelerate the decomposing process.

a great lesson for kids It’s important that kids have a connection to their food and understand the farm-to-plate chain. They can participate in all chicken-related chores, especially egg collecting.

why keep chickens?

the average laying hen will produce about 300 eggs a year

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backyard chooks are healthier Factory farmed chickens are kept in confined areas and are often fed a diet with hormones and antibiotics to increase growth quickly and cheaply. The added stress of unhappy surroundings affects the taste and nutrients and the ampunts of eggs laid.

home grown eggs are more nutritious In contrast to factory farm eggs, eggs from backyard chickens have 25 percent more vitamin E, a third more vitamin A, 75 percent more beta carotene and more omega-3 fatty acids.

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planting guide

Turn the page for a pull-out calendar with when to plant and harvest your own fruit and vegies.

Stick it on your fridge for easy reference throughout the year.

this guide is based on the weather for a temperate climate such as Melbourne

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JANUARY

PLANTLettuce, radish, silverbeetHARVESTSweetcorn, zucchini, tomato

APRIL

PLANTBroad beans, cabbage, cauliflower

HARVESTCapsicum, eggplant, lettuce

MAY

PLANTCelery, coriander, rocket, spinachHARVESTChilli, silverbeet, spring onion

MARCH

PLANTBroccoli, brussels sprouts, onion, peas

HARVESTApple, apricot, beans, fig, pumpkin, radish, zucchini

JUNE

PLANTFennel, fig, parsnip, swede

HARVESTOlive, turnip, cumquats

FEBRUARYPLANTChilli, garlic, leek, turnipHARVESTBasil, cucumber, herbs, potato

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AUGUST

PLANTBeetroot, bok choy (pak choy), carrot

HARVESTBroccoli, cauliflower, spinach

OCTOBERPLANTHerbs, potato, strawberry, sweet cornHARVESTBok choy, cabbage, fennel, garlic, lemon, lime, orange

DECEMBERPLANTBasil, capsicum, eggplant, spring onionHARVESTAsparagus, onion, plum, strawberry

SEPTEMBERPLANTAsparagus, lemon, lime, olive, orange, passionfruit, rhubarbHARVESTBroad beans, brussels sprouts, celery, leek

JULYPLANTApples, apricot, cherry, beans (French), silverbeet

HARVESTCoriander, peas, rocket

NOVEMBERPLANTCucumber, pumpkin, tomato, zucchiniHARVESTArtichoke(globe), beetroot, carrot, passionfruit

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Ingredients

Olive oil1 brown onion, diced1 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp coriander seeds

2 carrots, diced2 cups of pumpkin, chopped1 potato, diced1 tin tomatoes1/2 cup split red lentils

Juice of 1/2 lemonA few coriander leaves

Method

Heat the oil in a soup pot over low heat. Stir in onions and sauté until soft.

Add the spices, salt and pepper and sauté for a few minutes.

Add the vegetables and lentils and enough water to just cover them. Pop the lid on and simmer until vegetables and lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Blend with a handmixer in the pot if you want a smoother soup.

Add lemon juice and coriander leaves just before serving.

pumpkin, carrot & lentil soup

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smart ways to live sustainably

Set your thermostat to 18–20°C in winter.

Set summer cooling temperatures at 26oC to maximise efficiency and save money.

Keep your showers to less than four minutes. By doing this an average household can save around 90 litres of water per day. Use a timer to keep track of your time.

Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.

Use a drying rack or clothes line to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.

Wear clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.

Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you’ll be happy when you don’t have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).

This list contains simple, smart ways to help you save energy, water, waste – and money. Start with easy things at the top of the list and work your way down.

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easy steps to fast compostget garden-ready compost in about 30 daysMaking compost is probably the single most important thing you can do for your organic garden. The success of your garden depends on the soil, and the health of your soil depends on the compost you give it. And making compost isn’t difficult. With very little effort on your part, you can turn throw-away materials into this sweet-smelling, nutrient-rich, no-cost soil conditioner.

Composting and Worm

WORKSHOPSLearn how to set up and

care for a worm farm or a compost bin.

Contact Phoenix St Childrens Centre for more details on 9310 2929

shred & chopShred or chop materials as finely as you can before mixing them into the pile. For example, you can chop fallen leaves by running your lawn mower over them. The same applies to kitchen scraps - “the smaller, the better” is the rule for compost ingredients.

mix dry browns & wet greensThe two basic types of ingredients for making compost are:1. Carbon-rich materials, or “dry browns,” include leaves, hay, and straw. 2. Nitrogen-rich materials, or “wet greens,” include kitchen scraps and grass clippings; these work best when used sparsely and mixed in well so they don’t mat down. Keep a fair mix of these materials in the pile.

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54 keep things movingMoving your compost adds air to the mix. You can open up air holes by getting in there with a pitchfork. Even better, shift the entire pile over a few feet, bit by bit, taking care to move what was on the outside to the inside of the new pile, and vice versa. Or consider using a compost tumbler, a container that moves the materials for you when you turn it.

add waterMake sure the pile stays moist, but not too wet. (It should feel like a damp sponge.) You may need to add water occasionally. Or, if it rains a lot, you may need to cover the pile with a tarp to keep it from becoming too soggy.

strive for sizeBuild the pile at least 1 cubic metre so materials will heat up and decompose quickly. (Don’t make the pile too much bigger than that, though, or it will be hard to turn.) Unless you have this critical mass of materials, your compost pile can’t really

get cooking. Check the pile a couple of

days after it is built up - it should be hot in the middle, a sign that your microbial decomposers are working hard.

Brimbank Council sells compost bins and worm farms at

a discount

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recycling basics for the homePut the right items into your recycling bin.Paper, cardboard, plastic containers, glass bottles and aluminium and steel cans are accepted.

All other items have to be removed by hand before the recycling process starts. If you put rubbish into your recycling bin, the recyclabes may be too dirty to recycle and may have to go to landfill instead.

Bring cloth bags to the shops with you instead of taking home new paper or plastic bags. You can use these again and again.

Plastic containers and reusable lunch bags are great ways to take your lunch to school without creating waste.

Coffee cans, shoe boxes, margarine containers, and other types of containers people throw away can be used to store things or can become fun arts and crafts projects.

recycle right and create less landfill

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Don’t throw out clothes, toys, furniture, and other things that you don’t want anymore. Somebody else can probably use them. You can bring them to a centre that collects donations, give them to friends, or even have a garage sale. Check out www.garagesaletrail.com.au for tips and host a sale.

Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.

Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbours while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.

Wash glass jars and uses them again to store food or things like buttons and nails. You can also give glass jars to friends or groups who make jams.

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global

links & references

calendarClean Up Australia Day - 4th March

World Water Day - 22nd March

Earth Hour - 23rd March

Turn off, Switch off to play Day - 30th March

Earth Day - 22nd April

World Environment Day - 5th June

International Mud Day - 29th June

National Tree Day - 26th July

Nude Food Day - 17th October

Garage Sale Trail - 26th October

Brimbank City Councilwww.brimbank.vic.gov.au

City West Waterwww.citywestwater.com.auwww.savewater.com.au

Garage sale trailwww.garagesaletrail.com.au

DiggersAustralia’s biggest gardening club.www.diggers.com.au

Sustainable TableLearn about sustainable food production.www.sustainabletable.org.au

Very Edible Gardens Melbourne’s permaculture design and education experts. www.veryediblegardens.com

Ollie saves the planetKids website exploring the 4R’s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink.www.olliesworld.com/planet/aus

CeresA not-for-profit educational organisation located on 4 hectares of rehabilitated landfill in East Brunswick, Melbourne. www.ceres.org.au

The Little Vegie Patch Co.A Melbourne based business that specialises in the design, installation and maintenance of chemical-free vegetable gardens.www.littleveggiepatchco.com.au

SoilworxGarden, building and landscaping products.987-995 Ballarat Road, Deer Parkwww.soilworx.com.au

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localmarketsArdeer Vegie Swap 3rd Saturday of the month, Ardeer Community Playground, Forrest St, Ardeerwww.ardeerplayground.org.au

Brimbank Community Market614 Ballarat Rd, ArdeerSaturday & Sunday 8.30am - 4pmwww.brimbankcommunity market.com.au

Footscray MarketHopkins and Leeds streets, Footscray

Keilor East Farmers’ MarketEvery 4th Saturday of the month, 8 - 1pmCentreway Park, Wyong Street, Keilor East

recycle facilitiesSids for Kids binsDonations of quality clothing and household goods accepted in the red bins at Phoenix St Childrens Centre

Mobile Muster Recycle your mobile phones at Phoenix St Childrens Centre, www.mobilemuster.com.au

Frameworks Recycled Materials Art and craft shopwww.frameworksrecycledmaterials.com.au

Toy Librarywww.marthaarmstoylibrary.org.au

community groupsPermaculture Out WestPermaculture in the Western Suburbs www.pow.org.au

Friends of IramooSustainable community centre at St Albanswww.iramoo.org.au

Friends of Kororoit Creekwww.fokc.org.au

Selwyn Park community gardenEvery 2nd Sunday of the monthwww.communityclub.org.au

op shopsSunshine Recycled Outlet149/153 Anderson Road, Sunshine

Brotherhood of St LaurenceShop 1, 112 Westwood Drive, Deer Park

Vinnies CentresSt Albans - 71 Main Rd West, St AlbansSunshine - 56 Station Place, Sunshine

Sunshine Salvos26 Withers St, Sunshine

Goss’n’shop - Sunshine100 Anderson Rd, Sunshine(at the Holy Apostles Anglican Church)

Wayside Opportunity Centre30 Withers, Sunshine

Braybrook Salvos296 Ballarat Rd, Braybrook

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Printed on recycled paper.

This booklet can also be viewed online at www.issuu.com

competition For a chance to win a worm farm, answer this question or complete the picture

in the frame, and send by Nov 30, 2013 to:

Competitions, Phoenix Street Children’s Centre, 80 Phoenix Street, North Sunshine 3020

What is a good way to reduce your amount of rubbish?

Draw some things you would put in a worm farm.

Q

A

&