I love pantry pampering. I wash my face with honey, soak in porridge and wash my hair with bi-carb soda. Every now and then I make a hair treatment or face mask with various combinations of egg, honey, olive oil, lemon, and yoghurt. Pumpkin and ginger are the latest additions to my list of favourite pantry pampering produce. I'm sharing recipes for pumpkin and ginger DIY skin and hair care. Read more →

Farmer's gate roadside stalls are my favourite place to shop. Buying direct from the farmer is a great way to source local seasonal food. The produce is typically super fresh and costs far less than what you would pay elsewhere. Finding roadside stalls is now easier thanks to a new directory of Australian road stalls (roadstalls.com.au) Read more →

We recently raised a batch of chickens from eggs. Our sweet little chickens taught Little Eco real-life lessons in patience, responsibility and reality. In comparison with the mobile phone cyber pet apps she loves - nothing beats the real thing. Read more →

I grow my own veggies organically and often buy organic food. There are many reasons why I favour organic. I prefer my food be free of pesticide residues and I’d rather support small, sustainable farmers than large-scale industrialised agribusinesses. But the main reason I buy organic is that it’s better for the environment. I highlight recent research into the environmental benefits of organic farming. Read more →

The call to compromise on my environmental ideals comes more often now that Little Eco is older. She asks for packaged food in her lunch box and begs for the latest fad plastic toy. Marketers are trying to teach her that life is about buying, whereas I am trying to teach her that happiness can’t be bought: How she contributes and what she creates is more important than what she consumes. Here are some of the strategies I use to help her navigate the pervasive power of marketing. Read more →