Envirosafe SolutionsTM
December 2011 Newsletter
In this issue:
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FEATURED ARTICLE
Ways To Watch Your Holiday Waste
The holidays are in full swing, and all around the office, your house, and your local shopping centres, you can count on extra good cheer, extra calories, and extra rubbish.
That's right – in the USA, gift wrap and shopping bags account for a staggering 4 million tons of rubbish each year, and garbage collectors sling an average of 25% more of it in December.
 Embarrassingly, Australia isn't far behind; food wastage alone in Australia approaches 3 million tons annually. That's 136 kilograms each, or about $616 worth of food per household being tossed in the bin. We're wasting water as well- remember, for every kilogram of beef that's thrown away, you're also throwing away the 16,000 litres of water that it took to make that beef. If that's not enough incentive for you to watch your food wastage, consider the fact that this holiday season there will be more than 60,000 low-income families here in Australia that will go without meals or be food insecure.
Australians spend nearly $40 billion on Christmas each year, with about a third of that ending up in the tip. A 2008 study of Perth landfills discovered that we are well on the way to a rubbish epidemic - five of the six metropolitan waste disposal areas will be completely full by 2022. So where to put all of those extra food wrappers, greeting cards, ribbons and shopping bags?
No matter the time of year, it's important to remember the waste minimisation motto of reduce, re-use, and recycle.
Reduce
Make food and gift shopping lists and purchase thoughtfully. Everyone wants to enjoy a bounty of food and drink over the holiday season, but try not to purchase more than you need or can reasonably consume.
Re-use
In an increasingly consumer-oriented society it may seem easier to buy new, but it's certainly not as cost-effective. If you don't want to buy secondhand, then sell: instead of tossing those unwanted gifts that 78% of us say we receive each year, list them on eBay for a bit of extra cash.
Recycle
Less than 2% fail to engage in any form of recycling, with most of us taking advantage of kerbside collection programs. You'll have to think carefully about how you will dispose of your old electronics, though; e-waste (the disposal of old computers, video game consoles and the like) is growing at three times the rate of other waste in the country, and a quarter of electronic equipment (and fully half of all appliances) are trashed rather than recycled.
To discover ways in which Envirosafe Solutions line of eco-friendly liquid solutions can help you minimise wastage and ensure the longest life for your appliances and other machinery, contact one of our friendly customer service representatives today.
(sources: www.recycleworks.org, www.ozharvest.org, www.ourpatch.com.au)
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WHAT'S HOT PRODUCT FOCUS:
 Extreme Green Waste and Odour Treatment uses natural compounds to stimulate microbiological activity that literally 'eats' your unwanted sludge build-up, leaving you odour free without adding a single toxic chemical to your septic tank, effluent pond, abattoir, veterinary facility, food preparation or refuse collection unit. Waste and Odour Treatment is highly effective at low doses, saving you money, and is non-toxic, biodegradable and will not contaminate produce or livestock. A natural, affordable, and safe product that successfully tackles the toughest sludge build up while eliminating odours, all backed by the Envirosafe Solutions 100% Money Back Guarantee – why would you use anything else?
All this month, place your first order for Waste and Odour Treatment and receive a 20% discount.
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ENVIRO-FOCUS:
Despite previous beliefs to the contrary, a recent Wealth From Oceans Flagship expedition has discovered that the temperatures of the earth's oceans are rising at a rate fast enough to put many marine species at risk sooner rather than later.
 Significant changes in both salinity and temperature to the deep waters in Antarctic waters over the last decade prove that drastic changes to an extent previously thought impossible are now part of Australia's reality. Preliminary evidence collected from the western Tasman Sea on the same expedition indicate that this area in particular is likely to experience warming at an even faster rate.
Visit www.wealthforoceans.org as they continue to monitor the situation.
(source: www.csiro.au)
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INDUSTRY TREND:
 Envirosafe Solutions is proud to be a sponsor of the annual Mining Emergency Response Competition, an annual fundraising event that provides a valuable opportunity for Emergency Response teams from resource industry companies, to demonstrate their skills through a competition across a range of Emergency Response scenarios. Proceeds generated at MERC will be donated to Miners Promise, a not-for-profit organisation providing assistance to those affected by the death or disability of a family member employed in the resources sector.
This industry-wide event will be held this year on the 3rd & 4th December at the Burswood Park in Perth.
(sources: http://pwr.net.au/merc.html & www.minerspromise.org.au)
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WORKPLACE WELLBEING TIPS:
 How healthy is your lunchroom? The nutrition that your employees receive influences their performance both in and out of the office – and the environment that you provide can in turn influence the food choices that are made. Following, some simple tips to encourage your staff to eat more healthfully.
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Where do people eat lunch in your office? Is it well-lit, clean, and spacious enough? Eating at one's desk can lead to overeating and reduces opportunities for important workplace socialisation.
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Are there microwaves and refrigerators on offer to allow employees to store and prepare their own meals? Healthier choices are made when meals can be planned in advance rather than grabbed on the run.
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What's being served in the cafeteria? While it may be the luck of the draw at the local lunchbar, take control over what is served in-house by ensuring there are alternatives to high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods that will slow your employees down and do them a disservice in the long run as well.
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Do you have the infamous vending machines in the corridor? If so, consider stocking them with healthier alternatives to sweets and crackers such as dried fruit, nuts and pretzels.
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Are your employees drinking enough water? A key component of healthy eating is staying hydrated. This leads to better overall health and also lessens the risk of overeating due to mistaking thirst for hunger.
(sources: www.ccohs.ca)
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COURTESY REMINDERS:
 We're constantly updating the Envirosafe SolutionsTM database. If your contact details have changed, please forward your new details to us to ensure you continue receiving our monthly newsletter and other important industry news and communications: just send an email to info@evss.com.au with your new postal address, new street address, new company name, updated contact numbers and preferred email address.
Well that's it for September. As the weather warms, remember to stay on track with responsible drinking and safety in the workplace. And remember the old platitude that actually means something and that is - every little bit helps - whatever you can do no matter how small - it all makes a difference.
If you have any questions, feedback or topics you'd like to see covered in our upcoming newsletter editions, simply send an email to the communications team at info@evss.com.au
Warm regards,
The Envirosafe SolutionsTM Team.
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 Joke of the Month
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days."
The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."
She was right -- our generation didn't have the 'green thing' in its day.
Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the 'green thing' back in our day.
We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the 'green thing' in our day.
Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the 'green thing' back in our day.
Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right; we didn't have the 'green thing' back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the 'green thing' back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the 'green thing' back then?
Remember: Don't make old People mad, we don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to cheese us off.
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 Your Part - Our Part
 CSIRO have awarded the Chairman's Medal for research Excellence to a team of scientists responsible for developing a more environmentally friendly strain of cotton that now constitutes 80% of Australia's cotton production. The strain produces a higher yield with less water and is highly disease-resistant, reducing the need for insecticides.
For another way to be environmentally responsible in your everyday life, Envirosafe Solutions provides washing solutions (in both liquid and powder form) free from toxins and chemicals that reduce water usage in your own home and ensure that your eco-friendly cotton clothing stays that way.
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Envirosafe Rating Guide
The Envirosafe Solutions product rating has been developed to assist the buyer with a quick reliable reference for choosing an effective product that will be safe for the user and the environment.
For more information see our Envirosafe Ratings page.
The management team at Envirosafe Solutions have placed a heavy emphasis on offering products that are not only very effective but safe to use, have a low impact on the environment and are safe to transport and store.
The Envirosafe Rating has been independently assessed and reviewed. If you would like to understand more about how this rating system has been arrived at, the assumptions and criteria are available upon request.
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