www.todae.com.au
If these cushions below look vaguely familiar, it is because they come from a very common source: they are made from 100 per cent recycled unused nylon seatbelt webbing. It is a great use for an existing material. They can be bought online for $99 each at Todae, which specialises in sustainable products. These include LED and compact fluorescent light bulbs, bags made from recycled fruit-juice packs, non-toxic cleaning supplies, energy-saving devices, greeting cards impregnated with herb or flower seeds, organic skincare products, recycled office equipment and gardening bits. It also offers carbon offsets. As well as online shopping, Todae also has stores at Glebe and Bondi Junction.
www.atomikgreen.com.au
Another online store, aToMik, offers organic baby rubs and other unguents, sunscreens, cleaners of all varieties, DVDs, shower timers and water-saving inserts for taps, bamboo chopping boards, pocket guides to greening your home, garden and office, a water-powered clock, lights and torches. It also has nifty glass paving bricks containing solar panels to provide lighting.
www.yourhome.gov.au
For home renovators endeavouring to stick to environmental principles, the Federal Government has a couple of free guides which can be downloaded from this website. The first, called Renovator's Guide, is very user-friendly. Each page has tips for saving money, for healthy and comfortable living and for environmentally friendly practices. There are also checklists for planning stages and section-by-section questions to consider. Can living rooms be closed off? Do most windows face north? What materials can be reused? Will trees provide summer shade and winter sun? Are bushfire-resistant plants being used? It is hard to think of anything not covered in this book. There is also a technical manual written by architects, designers and builders largely for tradespeople. It offers tips on selecting materials, landscaping for biodiversity, passive design to minimise heating and cooling costs, and better use of water and energy.