Acting for a Sustainable Future

Acting for a Sustainable Future

Australia's much loved tea brand, Lipton Quality Black is now sourced from Rainforest Alliance certified™ farms and is available nationally on supermarket shelves.

This is the first time a major tea company has committed to introducing sustainably certified tea on such a large scale and is a move that is revolutionizing the global tea industry.

-The beauty of Lipton Quality Black Tea is that Australians will enjoy the same great taste they've always enjoyed, but now their small cup will go towards making a big difference to tea farmers, their families and the environment,' said Andrea Martens, Marketing Director for Hot Tea at Unilever.

Recent research commissioned by Unilever and presented in the 2009 Sustainable Australia? Report reveals three quarters (75%) of Australians are calling out for more sustainable products in the market, and believe purchasing these types of products is one way they can start making a difference in the home.

Interestingly, the research found almost two thirds (62%) of Australians rate sustainability as one of the most important issues facing the nation today and half (51%) of all Australians say they are most concerned about sustainability in 2009 compared to last year. However, Australians are grappling with what sustainability means and how they can take action.

To assist Australians, Lipton teamed up with Katie Patrick, Director of Green Pages, to compile 10 manageable and cost effective tips to help Australians make better, more sustainable choices in the home.

Make a better choice to act sustainably in your home

Seal the cracks
Cracks under doors and windows can allow significant cold draughts to enter the home. Using a simple and inexpensive seal under the side of any door or window will stop unwanted draughts from sucking away the heat in your home and reduce your electricity bills.

Throw out the -blower' heater and opt for hydronic heaters
Little -blower' heaters chew energy like there's no climate friendly tomorrow! Opting for a heating device which relies on conductive heat allows heat to disperse around the room. The best option is a wall mounted conductive heater or hydronic heating which is laid permanent in the floor.

Look for the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal
Choose certified food and beverage products such as Lipton Quality Black Tea sourced from Rianforest Alliance Certified™ farms. Every cup of Lipton Quality Black carrying the Rainforest Alliance green frog seal is a sip towards a better life for tea farmers, their families and the environment.

Go native in the garden
Australia is home to some of the most exotic and interesting plant species in the world. Try planting Australia native grass, waratahs, banksias, kangaroo paw, wattles, reeds, native orchids and succulents. These use minimal water and can provide habitats for local birds and beetles.

Power your shower

The best showers are short and sweet. An average 10 minutes shower using an old shower head will use 250 litres of water, whilst four minute power shower with an innovative AAA rated shower head will use only 36 litres. That's an 85 per cent water saving.

Reach for the stars
Look for a good energy star rating (over four stars is best), when purchasing appliances such as fridges, washing machines and dishwashers. The star rating can help you make an informed decision about which product will use the least energy.

Go fluoro
Most of the electricity used by normal light bulbs actually heats up the light bulb rather than provides light. Installing a compact fluorescent light bulb is 90 per cent more efficient than normal bulbs and lasts for up to five years.

Water the garden in the evening
Water stored in the soil is evaporated throughout the day. To avoid this evaporation, water the garden only in the evenings so the water has the opportunity to percolate through the soil and be absorbed by the roots of the plants.

Refuse plastic bags
Remember to take a re-usable bag when you shop and say no to plastic bags. Australians still use around five billion plastic bags at supermarkets every year. This contributes to landfill and can be harmful to brids and sea life.

Slow the water flow
Installing low flow tap fittings will cut down water flow in household taps by 50 per cent. They are easy to install and cost less than $5 each.

-Acting sustainably in the home doesn't need to be expensive or time consuming,' says Katie Patrick. -My mission is to help Australians realise they can help the world we live in by making simple, everyday sustainable choices and in particular looking for certified products,' adds Katie.

Lipton tea sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms is available in 11 Australian market leading products, including Lipton Quality Black teabags, Lipton Yellow Label teabags, Lipton Squeezable teabags and Lipton Intense teabags. Lipton Quality Black teabags are priced at $2.99 for 50 teabags to $4.55 for 100 teabags.

Australians can visit the new -Lipton for the future' website www. liptonforthefuture.com which contains a wealth of information about Lipton Quality Black Tea and the Rainforest Alliance.
For more ideas on acting sustainably in the home visit www.greenpages.com.au