Your Sustainable Life Issue 6

YOUR SUSTAINABLE LIFE WWW.YOURSUSTAINABLELIFE.COM.AU THE ECO FRIENDLY MAGAZINE ONLINE ONLY

MAR 16 ISSUE #6

Karijini National Park

Getting back to nature One of Australia's finest National Parks

INTERVIEWS The Greenhouse Perth

PLUS Our Top Pinterest Picks!

BONUS Feeling Stressed?

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Issue 6

Feature

YOUR SUSTAINABLE LIFE

Karijini National Park pg 5-6

Recipe Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto pg 14

Do It Yourself Picking your plants pg 13

Leadership Lean In pg 10-11

Wellness I give you what you want what you really really want pg 22-23 BONUS FREEBIE Complimentary Stress Management Consultation pg 24

Interviews The Greenhouse Perth pg 15

STAPLES 03 Editor's Note 16 Pinterest Picks 15 Sustainable Brands

Photo by ­ Anthony Rossbach

EDITOR'S NOTE

Kelly Petering EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Welcome to the sixth edition of Your Sustainable Life ­ The Eco­Friendly Magazine. We trust you enjoyed our last issue and that you continue to find inspiration and motivation to lead a more sustainable life here in these pages.

The feedback we have received so far is fantastic, and would love those suggestions to keep rolling in! If you have something you feel would add value to this magazine please feel free to email us at info@yoursustainablelife.com.au.

One thing I would like to mention ­ we are about raising awareness and opening the door for every day people to gain insight into how they can live more sustainably in all areas of life.

We are NOT here to judge or make people feel guilty ­ it’s about doing what you can, when you can, with the resources you have available to you.

We are a starting point ­ and acknowledge that there are organisations out there who focus more specifically on certain aspects of sustainability ­ we LOVE that there are others out there with passion for our environment.

We are NOT experts ­ and certainly do not claim to know everything ­ we believe there is always more to learn…

We invite experts to write for us and encourage those who are learning to contribute too…

We want to create a movement of people who are on the same page ­ maybe you’re not at the stage of political activism or would ever consider living off the land out in the bush ­ maybe you are ready to make a few small changes in your life… and we want to acknowledge you for that!

Please share the subscription link to your friends and family and send us your feedback!

Simply CLICK HERE to subscribe ­ it’s 100% FREE!!!

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Back to Nature Karijini National Park

Getting back to nature is a great way to connect with the reason why you choose to work towards a more sustainable future.

Great respect for the environment we live in comes easily when we are surrounded by natural beauty and inspiring landscapes.

Spending time in natural surrounds also helps to reduce stress and gives you a change to get your body moving ­ in the form of hiking or swimming in natural pools.

Australia boasts many incredible protected National Parks that give us the opportunity to emerge ourselves in the beauty this country has to offer. Having been a tour guide for many years, I have had the pleasure of visiting a large number of National Parks in both Australia and the USA. Over the next few magazine issues I want to share with you some of my experiences with the aim to inspire the idea of getting back to nature and exploring our own back yard.

Ranked in the top 5 visitor experiences for the state and one of my personal favourite National Parks is Karijini. Located in inland Western Australia, about 80kms north­east of Tom Price (14,000kms north of Perth), it is rather remote and more difficult to get to than many other of Australia’s National Parks. To get there, you must drive or fly into Tom Price and hire a car ­ or there are a variety of tours that can get you there. Personally I love a good road trip… I find it’s often the journey of actually getting to and from a place that creates a truly memorable experience.

Karijini consists predominantly of unsealed roads, so if you are driving, it’s best to take a trusty vehicle to get to all the best parts of the park… after all, it’s usually the places that are the most difficult to get to that are the most beautiful! Be prepared to get out of the car regularly to enjoy the scenery and many walking tracking tracks into phenomenal canyons and gorges.

Famous for it’s expansive sheer sided chasms of up to 100 metres deep, Karijini hosts spectacular hiking and swimming opportunities for those who are willing to do a bit of huffing and puffing up and down natural staircases into the wonders of this ancient land. The landscape is said to be created around 2,500 million years ago when layers of fine sediment rich in iron and silica were laid down as part of an ancient sea bed. Over hundreds of millions of years the layers of sediment have been compacted into stunning solid convoluted rock formations and escarpments. of body text One of the easier places to get to within the National Park is Dales Gorge… home to Fern Pool, a year round water hole that attracts those keen for a dip, and Fortescue Falls a soft undulating waterfall. For those wanting to stretch their legs a little further you can continue walking through the gorge for about an hour and a half around to Circular Pool, another much colder swimming hole.

For those who are keen for a more adventurous hike, head on down to Weano Gorge. This walking track will take you down into the depths of the gorge, through streams of slowing flowing water (depending on what time of year you go) and between narrow passages, into a beautiful open water hole. This hike is not for the faint hearted ­ it is often slippery and can be very difficult to traverse in sections.

During your stay in Karijini you are likely to happen across a variety of wildlife; including kangaroos and rock wallabies, goannas, geckos, lizards and snakes. Karijini is also home to the often elusive Olive Python and the rare Pebble Mound Mouse. Wildflowers are abundant during various times of the year ­ in the cooler months (May to September) you will find the yellow flowering wattles and cassias, purple mulla­mullas, northern bluebells and the gorgeous Sturt’s Dessert Pea. As there are no hotels within the Park, the only option is to camp (if you are not too keen on sleeping in a swag, there are ‘Eco­ tents’ available at the Karijini Eco Retreat), again this heightens your experience of the Australian Outback and gives you the opportunity to watch the sunrise and sunset amongst the wilderness.

Moral of the story ­ if you haven’t been to Karijini National Park, you are missing out! Whilst it may be slightly more expensive to get there than it is to get to Bali or Thailand, it is well worth it to appreciate our beautiful country and reconnect with nature…

By Kelly Petering

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JOANNA KOSINSKA

Lean in - let me share a secret with you..

By Angela Kambouris "When life presents challenges and events happen – by the way lets be crystal clear, it happens to all of us – how do you respond? What do you say to yourself? Do you take a positive approach, a can do attitude or do you feel overwhelmed, feel like the universe has sucked the life out of you and you want to run?

Let me share with you what l believe to be a powerful insight that l learnt ­ the power of choice. We always have the ability to choose to experience life as a place that things happen, we choose how we feel and how we experience the world. No one has the ability to make you feel sad, happy, angry, or fearful. Individually we decide how we feel at given moment.

As a leader of life, it is always about taking responsibility for our actions and responses in all areas of our existence. We know that events occur in life that are beyond our control however if we come from a place of being empowered, then we choose our own response to events and fundamentally our results. In life, people often respond to a situation from a place of either at cause of a situation or at effect, we let things happen to us.

Being at cause empowers us to make an informed decision and lead the life we choose. When we take responsibility for our emotions, choices and behaviors we ultimately become the source of our results. When we choose certain responses, then we have the ability to change them. We create the empowered life.

The power of choice to create the life you want is the place we want to live. Pausing and reflection could be the difference in eliciting a response that could be reactionary, inappropriate and at times regrettable. No one can ever make us feel anything. We choose the emotion and give meaning to that experience.

Imagine you are driving a car and from out of nowhere someone cuts in front of you. You brake quickly to avoid an accident. Typically, a few choice words are intensely released, may be lots of horn pressing, and the occasional hanging out the window – of course no road rage. What often happens in the moment is reflective of an automatic response that we don’t consciously think about it – we just do it.

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If we draw a line in the sand, we can create a line of choice between an automatic response (being at effect) and a more emotionally healthy option of a thoughtful response (at cause). We have a choice where we want to operate from even though it may not feel like it when we are in amongst a chaotic situation.

If you take moment and reflect on a situation when you were working with someone and everything seemed effortless.

Reflect how people were behaving, how you were behaving.

You all listened to each other respectfully?

Individually you took responsibility for your contributions and your role in the conversation?

Active listening perhaps?

Group thinking drove the conversation before responses?

Encouraged differences and a curiosity to gain a deeper understanding?

An overriding sense of respect for each other?

Let’s flip it ­ take another moment and think about a different situation in which you worked with another person however things were pretty tense, chaotic and may be not working so well. Tap into the default positions of everyone involved including you.

People’s responsiveness to each other Quick to judge perhaps?

On the mighty high horse may be?

Defend with honour and certainty?

Heightened conversation, back and forth and then the big silence?

People biting back, getting heated and snapping at each other?

May be you felt like reaching out and slapping them with a fish – just saying? Not that it ever crossed my mind.

What about the good all blame and justify our actions?

Sounding a little familiar……

Hindsight is always a beautiful thing and being human is another. Recognizing who you need to be in all situations and the mindset hat that you choose to wear. Select the hat that makes you more aware of your emotions unfolding around you.

Wear the hat that represents choice with intent rather than let’s just see what happens and fire off the dynamite when l need to. By choosing the hat you want to wear, and by the way, mine’s definitely the grandiose gold number with the pretty firework showcase, increases your ability to be present in the moment, it increases your emotional health and magnifies your brilliance to stand in your power to serve others.

When we accept a universal truth that that we all are 100% individually responsible for our thoughts, behavior and actions, we work from an empowering platform of driving own bus. When l’m wearing the hot pink big girl panties and my gold number hat, l’m in my finest form. Let me share with you a secret…….lean in a little…….the exciting news is that if you created the thinking, then you have the ability to change it.

Holy crap…. Isn’t that life­changing! More power to you.

Happy to share my hot pink panties with you!

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Image ­ Maja Petric WWW.YOURSUSTAINABLELIFE.COM.AU

Picking your Plants

BY CLAIR MORRISON Hi Peeps, now as you probably know I try to grow all of my own plants instead of buying, I propagate and use seeded veggies and herbs HOWEVER I know this is not attainable for everyone and that time, energy, space etc also come into play when it comes to growing your own plants.

I have to be realistic here so I wanted to give people a few pointers for buying plants at nurseries; now when I say nurseries, I really mean Bunnings ­ as much as it makes me sad to say, most independent nurseries are now closed ­ or in the process of closing down however there are still a few around, so if you can its great to support these small independent businesses ­ they are often very knowledgeable about plants too.

When starting out my business I was so dedicated to operating and maintaining a sustainable business I set out to make everything myself, so far ­ I have stuck to this goal. Although sometimes it seems a lot more time consuming and sometimes even more expensive than ordering online or hiring someone ­ it is far more satisfying !

What to look for when buying plants:

By no means am I tech savvy but I can whole heartedly say that I have built my website from scratch, designed my logo and branding, made by own business cards and logo tags ­ hell I even mix cement!

Roots A few small roots growing out of drainage holes are a sign of a strong root system. Avoid plants that been held in pots for so long that roots have grown into thick tangles or circles near the bottoms of the containers or are emerging quite noticeably from drainage holes.

I actually ended up making my own business cards out of frustration as I was finding it so difficult to source companies that use recycled brown Kraft card ­ and the ones I did find were either terribly expensive or overseas companies (I will only buy Australian made).

Instead of printing my logo on these cards and our tags I had a laser cut rubber stamp made with our logo ­ we use green stamp (to team with our theme hehe) and hand make every single one ­ I really need to invest in a guillotine as I had blisters on my hands from scissors! Although they may not all be even and perfect ­ they are 100% handmade with my own blood sweat and tears ­ I will pull all nighters, I will be working on weekends and promoting my cause until my voice is hoarse....because this is my passion and dream and I want to do my part in making a greener future for our children, their children and so on.

CLICK HERE TO VISIST WWW.LOVEGROWSPERTH.COM

Leaf Colour Look for green leaves with no sign of yellowing ­ the most common symptom of plants that have been stressed by a lack of fertiliser and water. Obviously this does not apply to naturally golden leaved varieties of plants.

Buds and Flowers Flowering plants with a blossom or two are young and vigorous but bypass those that appear to have been in several weeks annuals may be stressed and 'bloomed out', and perennials that are in bloom at the nursery may only flower well for the first year.

Hope this hel

Mushroom and Zucchini Risotto

BY CLAIR MORRISON

Last week I made one of my favourite recipes of all time ­ risotto. It is so easy to make and always a hit with the tastebuds! Before you start pour yourself a glass of wine as you will be standing at the stove for a while ­ this recipe needs a lot of stirring!

What you will need: (10 cups) Chicken stock 40g butter 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil 2 brown onions, finely chopped (4 cups) Arborio Risotto Rice 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves 125ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine 500g chicken breast fillets, cut into 1cm pieces 200g button mushrooms, cut into 1cm pieces 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 zucchini sliced into 1cm pieces 120g (1 1/2 cups) finely grated parmesan Method: Bring the stock just to the boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat and hold at a gentle simmer.

Heat butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy­based stockpot or large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent but not coloured. Add the rice and 1 tablespoon of parsley.

Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the grains appear slightly glassy.

Add the wine to the rice mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Add a ladleful (about 125ml/1/2 cup) of the simmering stock to the rice and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock mixture, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful, for 20­30 minutes or until the rice is tender yet firm to the bite and the risotto is creamy.

Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken and stir­fry for 5 minutes or until chicken just starts to brown. Add the zucchini, mushroom and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken mixture, parmesan and remaining parsley to the risotto and combine. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO VISIST WWW.LOVEGROWSPERTH.COM

We are a home studio based in Perth delivering homegrown plants packaged in recycled, handmade and reused materials. We are committed to maintaining a sustainable business and believe that through education and encouragement everyone can make conscious decisions to help live a greener life.

Each day we feature a different #plantoftheday available to order for $20 until 1pm for same day delivery, unless sold out. Each plant comes with a care guide for the new owner.

Custom and Corporate orders, event styling and collaborations are also available. Email us to enquire.

Keep an eye out for us at Pop­up Venues, Local Farmers Markets and Trade Fairs, details on our events page.

Price includes delivery in Perth, orders after 1pm or on weekends will be delivered the next business day unless otherwise requested.

CLICK HERE TO VISIST WWW.LOVEGROWSPERTH.COM

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A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of dining at a wonderful restaurant in Perth that is consistently working towards a sustainable future in many different ways. Having been in contact with The Greenhouse Perth’s manager, Gus Potenza, I was given an insight into what makes this restaurant so special. Gus says that as being environmentally friendly as a business is a trend at the moment, The Greenhouse is right in it’s element ­ they have been proving to the world that you can run a successful business and be kind to the environment in the process for years now and they will be doing so for years to come. Such an important aspect of any business now more than ever as humanity put more and more pressure on our environment.

With the exterior of The Greenhouse Perth surrounded almost entirely with natural greenery, it is an innovative restaurant and bar that focuses on creating a space for people to get together and enjoy a delicious meal or drink.

“We do what we love to do and as a result we serve fresh, organic, locally supplied YUMMY food and drinks!” Says Gus. I have to agree here; the food was absolutely delicious, as was the housemade lemondade!

The relaxed atmosphere and friendly nature of the staff set the perfect scene for patrons to be inspired by the sustainable ideals that The Greenhouse embodies. “The building, the furniture, the lights, the music, the food, the drinks… everything created to transport you from your stressed fast paced sleep deprived life to a moment far away, you wouldn’t believe you are right in the middle of CBD!” Says Gus.

“We always get Schools and NGOs visiting us to know about our sustainability initiatives, we get on board with some different NGOs to raise awareness for sustainability and food waste…” The Greenhouse is committed to thinking about practicality, recyclability and life cycle before presentation and price in every decision they make.

Here’s Gus’s top tips for living a more sustainable life; “If you follow the 3R’s concept at your home and at your work you are doing quite a lot already. Reduce wastage by buying only what’s to be consumed, make organic compost at your garden so you don’t mix organic waste with general waste. Reuse whatever is possible, avoid plastic bags from supermarket by taking your own, reuse glass bottles and jars and buy your grains on bulk taking your own jars.

Recycle! Make sure you are separating properly the recycle items from the general waste. Talk to your friends about it, get more people on board!”

You can head to The Greenhouse Perth for breakfast, lunch or dinner ­ or even for a cocktail or sangria ­ to chill out and enjoy the peace of mind that you are giving back to the environment and being mindful about where you spend your money. There is also the option to book out the entire venue for functions and private parties.

Check out their menu and venue here; http://greenhouseperth.com/ or visit them at 100 ST. GEORGES TERRACE, PERTH WA 6000.

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Photo by ­ Harshal Hirve

I give you what you want, what you really really want...

If you’re 90s girl by heart you’ll remember wiggling your booty to this song and giving it your best badass attitude singing “I give you what you want, what you really really want!”

By Sabrina Muller The Body Love Coach

I still remember my big ass blue platform shoes, the ones that Scary Spice used to wear. Whilst on a school trip to London! I even had lots of fingers pointing at me calling me “Scary Spice”, even though I don’t look anything like her!

When was the last time you really knew what you want and made it happen?

If you’re not sure exactly what you want then how on earth are you ever going to achieve it!

We live in a world of constant comparison and therefore feeling rather inadequate when we’re not as fit, strong, rich, famous, funny, adventurous as “all” the other women we see parading on facebook with their oh­so­ awesome lives!

If not careful we end up wiring ourselves to focus only on the “lack of” feelings, as in not having enough, not doing enough but most of all not being (good) enough!

Here’s the thing, you get what you focus on!

That’s just the way it is, a universal law or call it law of attraction! It works the other way round, too! The moment you start focusing on the things you’re already grateful for, the more you’ll have to be grateful for!

Sometimes that’s not enough though!

We can honestly be grateful for all the things we already have but somehow it still isn’t enough. Because we’re superbadasses who strive high and want to create success on our terms but we’re not quite there yet!

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I am a Body Love Advocate specialising in Mind Body Nutrition & Body Image Issues through healing the relationship to food & yourself. With a background in health and fitness as a Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor and Transformational Coach, I have always been passionate about the mind­body­connection and creating change from the inside out.

Studying Human Behaviour and having dealt with my very own share of weight, food & body image issues, including dabbling in eating disorders, I truly believe that we all have our own unique story that unfortunately doesn’t always serve us to be the best & healthiest version of ourselves.

Instead of eating our emotions, I provide the strategic tools to “Revisit, Reframe & Recreate” your own story. In other words, how to get back in the driver seat of your emotional mind wellness by “re­writing your own food story”!

Sabrina’s programs offer a very unique take on educating women on the psychology of weight loss and has a strong holistic focus on creating lasting changes in their clients transformation: physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually. The message is simple “Eat to Live & Live to Love’.

Instead of wondering when you’re day will come, how do you stay motivated to keep showing up?

How do you make sure you don’t fall in the trap of doing what everyone else is doing, what you “should” be doing?

I’m certain that success is not about how much you do but who you are!

And I feel that a lot of us have lost touch with ourselves, forgotten what its like to be congruently authentic and consequently have the confidence to show up fully and make epic shit happen!

It’s a common thing and quite frankly I hate seeing women push and force themselves when it can in fact be easier! The most important step is to flick a switch in your head!

That’s why I’m so passionate about the Crazy Sexy Confidence Revolution as it’s the starting place for you to become exactly who you need to be in other to be worthy of all the success you’ve ever dreamed off!

What do you NEED right now, when it comes to having the confidence and certainty to thrive this year?

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Give yourself a break for ONCE! You are not doing anyone any favours punishing yourself for needing a little help – it’s like the air hostess’ say on the airplane – make sure you put your life mask on before helping others around you…

You are in no position to do what needs to be done for you family and friends if you are not coping as well as you could be.

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