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- Eco-Conscious Brand Boody Releases Range That Offers Diverse Shades of ‘Nude’
- 8 Common Home Composting Problems – and How to Fix Them
- The Trucking Industry Has Begun to Turn Electric — But Passenger Vehicles Will Take a Little Longer
| Eco-Conscious Brand Boody Releases Range That Offers Diverse Shades of ‘Nude’ Posted: 03 May 2021 07:35 AM PDT When you buy through our links, we may earn fees from our affiliate partners. Learn more. For decades, women have walked into retail stores seeking specific products that match their skin tone only to struggle to find the right shade. As the discussion around equality, diversity and inclusion has intensified over the years, picking up pace last year due to the death of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter bringing these issues firmly to the fore, more customers are now demanding that brands demonstrate diversity and inclusivity in the products they offer. While it has been long understood in the beauty and cosmetics sector that the colour “nude” isn’t a one-shade-fits-all colour (think lipstick and nail polish), brands in other industries are only now playing catching up. Underwear and lingerie labels eager to distance themselves from their history of offering garments only in shades of nude synonymous with white people’s skin tones, are making amends and catching up fast. One such brand is Australian eco-conscious label Boody, producers of everyday essentials made from a super soft viscose yarn derived from organic bamboo. It has just added three new hues to its nude range of underwear, expanding its diverse shades of ‘nude’ and ‘neutral’ to complement different skin tones.   “Depending on your skin tone, everyone’s version of nude is different,” the website states. “We believe that every line, fold, curve, shape, and colour that makes you you is something to celebrate.” Indeed not only is the range nude colour inclusive, but it also aims to be more size inclusive, offering sizes from XS through to XL. The collection, which includes a cami top, crop style bras, classic bikini bottom, full briefs, boyleg briefs and G-string, is also made from a fabric blend featuring 80% viscose made from FSC-certified organically grown bamboo, 13% nylon, 7% elastane – which means there’s generous stretch. Designed in Australia and responsibly manufactured in China, the products are also STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified, ensuring that they have been tested and are free from harmful substances. The seamfree design also reduces textile wastage and off-cuts. To further add to its sustainability credentials, the PETA-certified vegan brand also uses recyclable and compostable packaging.   Nude and neutral shades are increasingly becoming mainstay shades in fashion collections, joining staple colours such as black, white and grey. Other sustainable and ethically-minded fashion labels consistently featuring neutral shades in their collections include Canadian brand KOTN, US ‘It’ eco-activewear label Girlfriend Collective and Australia’s organic basics brand Vege Threads. Recommending reading:
Cover image via Boody. The post Eco-Conscious Brand Boody Releases Range That Offers Diverse Shades of ‘Nude’ appeared first on Eco Warrior Princess.  |
| 8 Common Home Composting Problems – and How to Fix Them Posted: 02 May 2021 11:21 PM PDT Whether you are a composting novice or an experienced home composter, no composting journey is smooth and hassle-free. As often happens with composting, life gets in the way and before you know it, you're struggling with your compost pile, whether it be a rodent problem, an odour problem, or both. There's no need to panic, there are solutions to your composting problems! Below are eight of the most common problems with home composting and how to fix them. Composting problem #1: Too wetThe general rule of thumb for a good compost mix is two parts "browns", dry materials such as leaves, cardboard and shredded paper, to one part "greens" such as food scraps, vegetable peels, plant trimmings, coffee grounds and even chicken manure. Related Post: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Compost for Beginners So if your compost looks like one big pile of slimy sludge, chances are that it's not getting enough air because you have added too many “greens” without adding enough “browns”. Solution: You will need to loosen the pile to aerate it. The easiest way around this problem is to dig with a shovel whilst adding some brown matter such as cardboard, dry leaves or paper to balance out the pile. To avoid this problem going forward, make sure to add equal portions of 'browns' each time you throw in your veggie scraps or other ‘greens’.  Composting problem #2: Too dryIf you have the opposite problem where the pile is too dry, you haven't balanced the compost pile with enough 'greens'. Solution: Add some water to help the process along and throw in some vegetable scraps, food waste, lawn cuttings (if chemical and spray free), leaf trimmings and dead plants. Composting problem #3: Smells awfulIf there's a distinct smell coming from your compost bin, the pile is too moist and it's not getting enough air. Solution: Address it the same way you would when the pile is too wet – add more brown matter such as shredded paper and dry leaves and turn the compost over to aerate it. Composting problem #4: Rodent and pest problemIf you've got vermin such as mice and rats running around in your compost bin, it may be a sign you're throwing something in there that they're drawn to – whether meat scraps, mouldy cheese, bones or stale bread. Solution: You will need to fish these out (if possible) to stop the problem. Moving forward, rather than throwing these items in the bin, if you have garden space, consider digging a deep trench and dumping these food items in there instead. Make sure to dig a deep enough trench that will deter your dog – or your neighbour's dog! – from digging all these items back up. Related Post: 10 Things to Throw in Your Compost Bin – Some That May Surprise You If you don’t have garden space to dig trenches, then choose a compost bin that is off the ground, such as a rotating composter or tumbler that will deter vermin since they will be unable to reach the items inside. If you prefer to continue using the compost bin you have, then try burying the base of the bin into the ground and line with a fine wire mesh to stop rodents from trying to get in. Composting problem #5: Lots of cockroachesIf you've got a cockroach infestation in your compost bin, it's highly likely that you've added too much fruit and vegetable scraps. Solution: Address it the same way you would when the pile is too wet/smells awful – add more brown matter and turn the compost over. If it's a significant problem, you may need to just bury the entire pile and start your compost over again ensuring that you're maintaining the right green/brown ratio.  Composting problem #6: Lots of maggotsFirst makes sure they are maggots and not black solider fly larvae as these are beneficial to your compost bin as they can turn fruit and vegetable food scraps into compost more efficiently than worms. You can tell the difference between maggots and black soldier fly larvae because the latter are bigger, anywhere from two to four times the size of maggots. Have an actual maggot problem, or worried that the black soldier fly larvae are crowding out the worms? Solution: Address it the same way you would when the pile is too wet/smells awful – just add more brown matter. These critters thrive on nitrogen-rich products so limiting their access by piling dry leaves, saw dust and cardboard will help achieve more balance in your compost pile. Composting problem #7: Sticks aren't breaking downIf you've added sticks and twigs in your compost bin and you've noticed that they aren't breaking down, it's likely they're too large and bulky. Solution: Just break them up into smaller pieces and return back into the pile. Composting problem #8: Still can't get the mixture rightSolution: Practice makes perfect. Composting is all about trial and error, when you come across a problem, you either need to add brown matter or green matter, aerate it, or perhaps find a compost bin that is more suitable to your needs. You'll know when your compost is ready to be used on your garden beds when it looks, feels and smells like soil. Loved this post? Share with your networks or save on Pinterest!  Recommending reading:
Cover image by Anna Tarazevich. The post 8 Common Home Composting Problems – and How to Fix Them appeared first on Eco Warrior Princess.  |
| The Trucking Industry Has Begun to Turn Electric — But Passenger Vehicles Will Take a Little Longer Posted: 02 May 2021 04:08 PM PDT Australia's trucking industry is making moves to go electric. The latest development — a system for using swappable batteries instead of time-consuming recharge stations for long-haul trucks between Sydney and Brisbane — shows how this transition is gathering momentum. There will be clear socio-economic, environmental and health-related benefits from the switch to electric trucks — for the broader community as well as for the trucking industry and truckies themselves. As electric vehicle researchers, we think swappable batteries could work well for trucking, but are perhaps less suitable for everyday electric cars. Electric truckingThere are many benefits from electrifying truck transport. Companies such as Woolworths and Ikea have already started to transition to electric delivery vans for the environmental benefits (and a possible boost for their brands). Many leading truck manufacturers such as Scania, Mercedes Benz and Volvo are proceeding apace with trials and plans to make their trucks electric.  Trucks make up 20% of the vehicles in Australia, and Australia's transport emissions are still growing. Australia's motor vehicles consume more than 33 billion litres of fuel each year. The transport sector was responsible for about 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2019. Australia spent some A$31 billion in 2019 to import oil, with half used for road transport. This not only affects Australia's balance of trade, but poses a risk to our freight industry (including supermarket deliveries) if geopolitical instability affects fuel imports (which mainly come from just a few countries). The trucking company Linfox appears to have understood the advantages that transition to electric trucks can bring to its business, and is one of the early adopters trialling them here in Australia. Not just trucking companiesMany big companies are making commitments to cut their carbon emissions, such as Fortescue Metals' target of net zero operational emissions by 2040. Its mining fleet operations account for half of its operational emissions. Procurement of electric trucks by government and mining fleets could not only help reduce transport emissions but signal to the community that the transition away from more polluting vehicles can be done.  Modernising the fleet is an imperative that we need to prioritise. The business sector can play a key role in the success of the latest Australia Government Technology Investment roadmap. Innovative solutions such as the truck battery swap system mean that not only big companies but also sole operators can make the change, by converting existing trucks and leasing batteries. A typical articulated truck uses 53.1 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. A trip from Brisbane to Sydney could cost more than A$600 in fuel (which you, the consumer, help pay for when you purchase transported goods). Going electric would not only at least halve that cost but reduce maintenance costs and reduce emissions, even if batteries are recharged from the grid. Swap and go?Swapping out depleted batteries, rather than stopping to recharge, is a great solution for trucks: they make regular trips along major routes with regulated rest stops for drivers, which means you only need battery-swapping stations at key points along the routes. However, battery swapping for ordinary passenger vehicles may be a different story. It has been tried before, but didn't take off. A US-based company called Better Place, founded in 2007, got as far as setting up trial stations (with one even planned for Canberra). But the company collapsed in 2013. One problem was that car manufacturers would have had to agree to use a common battery platform to enable swapping, and only Renault came on board. Another was that the cost of installing enough battery swap stations to satisfy the wider community was enormous. Trucks travelling on major transport routes won't face this problem, so battery-swapping has a better chance of success. How to go electricOur ongoing research on policies to foster electric vehicle adoption has found that electric passenger cars are mostly recharged at home. This means we need solutions to help those without off-street parking get access to convenient local rechargers. This will help Australia reduce its balance of trade problems, reduce our health costs, and help the environment.  We just have to hope our government comes on board with suitable regulatory action to help us all go electric. One step might be to follow the US government's recent announcement that it will electrify its entire fleet of vehicles. This will help car manufacturers, help bring down carbon emissions, help reduce the nation's health budget and also help everyday people reduce their transport costs, which would be fairer and more sustainable. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Author: Gail Broadbent, PhD candidate Faculty of Science UNSW, UNSW and Graciela Metternicht, Professor of Environmental Geography, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, UNSW. Recommending reading:
Cover image of electric truck via Volvo. The post The Trucking Industry Has Begun to Turn Electric — But Passenger Vehicles Will Take a Little Longer appeared first on Eco Warrior Princess.  |
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