As Australia braces for the 2024–25 bushfire season, the vivid memories of past disasters, like the 2019–20 Black Summer, remain etched in the hearts of wildlife lovers and carers. The effects of bushfires on wildlife are devastating, leaving countless animals injured, displaced, or dead, and their habitats in ruins. ...
With Easter just around the corner, many of us will be spending time with friends or family and probably indulging in a few treats as well. We thought we’d share a couple of tips for things you might like to do this Easter which will help animals and our planet.
Easter Eggs
If you are thinking of painting some Easter eggs, then make certain that the eggs you buy are truly free range. Sadly, Australian standards are very low which means that some eggs can be called free-range when hens are still overcrowded. Always check stocking densities which must be printed on the packaging. If it says more than 1,500 hens per hectare then don’t buy them.
Better Chocolate
For those who will be buying chocolate eggs, try to purchase Fair Trade chocolate or support the Save the Bilby Fund by buying chocolate bilbies instead of bunnies or eggs. Our partners at The Orangutan Project also have a helpful fact sheet to help you avoid palm oil products you can find here. My personal favourite, the Lindt chocolate bunny, is happily palm-oil free and the dark chocolate is vegan! Also if you are lucky enough to share your home with a dog, don’t forget to keep all chocolates far out of reach as chocolate is toxic to dogs (and cats).
A low waste Easter
To get packaging-free chocolate Easter eggs, visit your local bulk store, such as Source Bulk Foods, which offer Easter eggs that you can put in your own container. To cut down on plastic, you can also ask your bakery to put hot cross buns straight into a bread or produce bag.
Recyling tip: Did you know you can recycle the foil from your Easter chocolates? You can! Just gather it all up and roll it into a ball and then pop it into your recycling bin.
A vegetarian Easter meal
And finally, you could consider leaving meat out of any celebration meals this year. Try making vegan fysh cakes, pumpkin or cauliflower the hero of the meal, or any other wonderful veggies.
However you celebrate, I hope you have a lovely Easter with your human and animal friends and family.
