Thankfully but slowly consumers in Australia are starting to make more informed decisions when it comes to buying eggs and meat. Thinking about where your food comes from, how and where it is produced and by who,  should be top of mind when in the supermarket. Every day choices can decide wether jobs stay in Australia or not, how fresh your food is and if it is farmed using environmentally responsible practices and indeed if your food prduction has resulted in the misery of animals farmed in what are now out dated and in many countries illegal farming practices. In March this year RSPCA Australia will launch a consumer marketing campaign, telling grocery buyers to look for the RSPCA “Paw of Approval” to know their eggs and pork have been farmed humanely, to the RSPCA’s independent farming standards.  The RSPCA Paw of Approval is the ‘tick’ for animal welfare. The RSPCA will also launch our chicken meat standards in the coming month and are in discussions with free range poultry producers about joining the program.
 
So keep your eyes peeled and make your dollars count – not many of us in this lucky country can say we’re on the bread line and can’t afford to make better choices so if you havn’t been choosing free range eggs, chicken and pork now is the time.

1. Buy some presents from the Oxfam shop.
2. Choose only FREE RANGE turkey and ham – most good butchers will stock the free range stuff and you won’t end up eating tortured or imported meat!
3. Recycle your cards and buy cards that support a charity or plan a tree like the ones available at http://www.solutionliving.com.au/ and fold your Christmas paper up re use it next year!
4. Influence / educate friends by buying them eco conscious gifts
5. Don’t buy puppies for Christmas – or if you do rescue one from a home (not a pet shop) and realise that you will have a big smelly dog in a bout 4 months timethat you have to walk every day and pick up it’s poo everyday too – it’s worth every minute but requires dedication!

If everyone did just one of these things the world would be a better place.

Most of all have fun this Christmas and enjoy the precious time with your families.

Unbelievably I read the other day that only 20% of the eggs consumed in Australia are free range – frigging outrageous! Are the other 80% of people really so worried about a couple of bucks that they choose cage eggs to save money? Do they actually THINK at all about the poor chooks crammed in those uncomfortable wire boxes? There is a better way folks and it is worth every cent .. so just please have a think as you look at the options. Or even better still if you have a garden think about having your own chooks – I have Naomi and Claudia the supermodels who I love the death roaming in our garden in suburban Sydney. They eat all of the edible kitchen scraps (pretty much everything other than garlic and onion) eat garden pests, trim the lawn and fertilise the garden. two chooks provide plenty of eggs for our family. They lie down on the back doorstep and sunbake with the dog, and come when they are called. My children adore them. I’m happy to advise if you would like to consider having your own chooks and there are some great books out there too. The good karma will come back one day! Visit www.solutionliving.com.au for more good conscious choice alternatives for everyday living…