Reducing Pollution

I've had a bit of time to look at things from a new perception recently and I realise that there is a lot of pollution around us.

I am fortunate enough to live in a house without a television. It's not the first time and I have to admit that I really do not miss it at all. I'm sure it's just me, but when I see what is on TV, it really is something I could live without. It is only after having lived without a TV for some time that I have come to appreciate it. I get odd looks from people when I say that I haven't seen a TV advert that's been running for months because " I don't have a TV". My wife said the look on the door to door sales guy face was priceless when she told him we don't want Foxtel because we don't have a TV. It was almost too hard for him to take and I'm sure he thought we were just using it as an excuse not to get Foxtel.With the US elections on at the moment, what better time also to be without the box.

Even the internet - which I use regularly - I find is streaming with garbage. When researching on the internet you really have to have your wits about you. There appears to be so much false data, emotional opinions that can sway your own opinions, dodgy statistics and bad referencing - or no referencing at all! It pays to be objective and when I find a good source of information I favourite it. In this way I can save time fishing for stuff amongst the muddy media.

We've been eating a lot more fresh stuff at home now either from the garden directly, farmers market or local shop and it's amazing how this alone can cut down on packaging and waste. If you were to think about it, it isn't difficult to see the difference. How much packaging does an apple use as opposed to tinned, boxed, wrapped products that are on the shelves. A simple bag for the apples can either be re-used, recycled  or re-designed for another purpose. The other thing we've noticed is that the left overs from most of our meals are usually food for the guinea pigs, chickens, compost bin or the worm farms. It's not uncommon for us to have a near empty bin to put out for collection and we've had weeks where we haven't even put the bin out at all.

I quite often listen to Classic FM nowadays, simply because it's pleasant background music, there is little talking and no commercials. The waffle, dribble and verbal noise that comes from many of the commercial stations I've ever had the displeasure of listening too just turned me away. Not to mention the usually dire and trivial content of the 'conversations'.

Life is full of projects and things to do that I am perplexed that others even have the time to watch TV. It quite often has me stumped. It is amazing the peace of mind that such pollution reduction can induce.

A Moment in the Garden

Jaz and the new little ones feeding on grape vine leaves. A lovely treat for all. The little ones have settled in really well and Maiki and Jaz have adopted them as their own it seems. Three mums!

Baby Turtledove

This little Laughing Turtledove was visiting the garden on the weekend. We really don't get that many doves here - yet strangely enough the can be seen across the road regularly. They may however have come over to nest in the trees. This little one was quite charming and friendly until one of the roosters had a go for it.

Note to Self - Marri flowering

This is a note to self to watch as the year moves on. My father-in-law, being a former 'man of the land' often says that when the Marri blossoms in February it will be a wet season. And possibly an early winter. Well, in early February this year the Marri was indeed flowering as were some of the local red gums so I am putting this note down to watch to see if there is any validity in this notion.

Backyard Alchemy

 

I was given some kombucha culture the other day. I have tried it briefly before but with little success. It may have been the batch I received but I am also a little more in tune with these ferments now after having kept milk kefir for around five years and recently trying my hand with water kefir.

It intrigues me how such simple ingredients of water, sugar and tea can produce with the help of bacteria and yeast a refreshingly, sweet and sour drink with a fruity fragrance full of health giving nutrients and acids.

The culture feeds on the sugar and, in exchange, produces other valuable substances contained in the finished product: glucuronic acid, glucon acid, lactic acid, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotic substances, 0.5% to 1% alcohol is produced as well as other products.

Kombucha apparently evolved from plant organisms over 2.5 billion years ago and has been prepared and made into a fermented tea drink for over 2ooo years. The principal yeast is Schizosaccharomyces Pombe; others varyingly include Saccharomyces Ludwigii, torula and apiculatus types, Pichia fermentans and Mycoderma. Principal bacteria are Acetobacteria xylinum, Gluconobacter bluconicum and Acetobacter xylinioides; others varyingly include Acetobacter aceti/ketogenum/ pasteurianum

Below is a list of some of the major ingredients found in Kombucha tea:

Various Enzymes, Acetic acid, Carbonic acid, Folic Acid, Gluconic acid, Glucuronic acid, L(+) Lactic, Usnic acid, Amino acids (various), Hydroxy acids (various), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2(Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin, niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin, cyanocobalamin), Vitamin C (from Lactic acid).

In the photo above you can see the original culture in the bottom of the jar and a spiral of organisms as they set about making a new gel culture on the surface of the liquid. Pure alchemy I believe.