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Returning and Earning for your community

Charities and community groups across NSW are cashing in empty drink containers to support their important work in the community, all with the added benefit of helping the environment. It’s an easy win-win to fundraise through Return and Earn, and it makes donating to a local charity or community group very easy. Return and Earn is the incredibly successful container deposit scheme in NSW, where 10 cents is refunded for every eligible drink container returned for recycling through the network of 600+ return points across the state. Since launching over five years ago, <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a> has become an important and well used channel for charities and community groups fundraising to support a range of local and broader causes. Groups such as Rotary and Lions Clubs, animal rescue organisations, and fire and rescue services are just a few of the many different cohorts that have partnered with Return and Earn and relied on the generosity of NSW citizens to help them do vital work in their communities. “We’ve seen many groups really embrace the scheme, showing a humbling passion for giving back to the community – whether it’s to help fund an event for a local club, or to donate to a charity,” said Danielle Smalley, CEO of scheme coordinator, Exchange for Change. “Some of these groups have raised a lot of money from recycling drink containers through Return and Earn. Often local residents and businesses are handing over their containers or donating their refunds to support the cause, proving there is enormous goodwill in the community.” The Gerringong Lions Club recently celebrated one million containers collected, raising $100,000 that was donated to a variety of causes including medical research, local sporting facilities, as well as helping both Australian and oversees Lions Clubs provide relief during catastrophes. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-67811" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gerringong-Lions-Club-image-2-for-article-2_RD.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> The Gerringong Lions Club are now raising around $20,000 each year. The COVID shutdowns and restrictions put a halt to the activities that would normally bring funds to the club. Return and Earn was the only means for the club to generate an income to help the community during this time. As routine users of the scheme, the Gerringong Lions Club are now raising around $20,000 each year, all the while making positive impacts to the environment. Bruce Ray is a past president and active member of the club, and says he gets a sense of satisfaction knowing they are helping the community while also looking out for the environment. “We have the bins at the hotel, the bowling club, and campgrounds. The club also provides the container collection bins for events such as weddings and uses them at local New Years’ Eve events,” said Mr Ray. In Cobar, the local Rotary Club is also using Return and Earn to support the work in their community. They partnered with the local Girl Guides who help the club sort through any drink containers collected. They’ve now raised more than $25,000 since they began in early 2020. Club Secretary Gordon Hill said that one of the benefits for the Girl Guides is the real-world experience in seeing how much locally created waste can be recycled. “It also provides a healthy opportunity for a challenge to see which girls can pack the most containers during a 1.5 to 2 hour session. The record currently stands at 3,080, but the challenge continues,” Gordon added. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-67813" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cobar-Rotary-Club-image-for-article-2_RD.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> In Cobar, the local Rotary Club has partnered with the Girl Guides to help with sorting! Since Return and Earn launched in December 2017, over $42 million has been raised through donations and return point hosting fees. The funds have made a significant difference to individuals and groups who have received the support. “There are a lot more collection drives in the community that we don’t track, so the total fundraising amount is in fact even higher,” Ms Smalley said. “We encourage all our Return and Earn users to consider donating containers to a local charity or community group either at the nearest Return and Earn machine or using the Return and Earn app. “And if you’re a member of a group looking for an easy and effective way to fundraise, consider Return and Earn where you can double the benefit by raising funds while also helping the environment.” Every Return and Earn machine features a local donation partner, to whom users can donate part or all of their refunds to. The charity listed changes every six months to give as many groups as possible the opportunity. Charities and groups can also elect to be listed on the Return and Earn app, allowing anyone using the app at a machine or automated depot to donate direct to their favourite charity. There are currently over 170 charities featured on the app. When using a Return and Earn machine, select donate, then select which of the charities listed you want the funds to go. If you’re using the Return and Earn app, simply select donation as your payout option and then select the charity or group you would like to donate your refund to. “Contributions don’t need to be big to make a difference. It can be as easy as collecting a few eligible drink containers and donating them to a charity, helping local communities thrive while looking after the environment.” said Ms Smalley. For more information on donating through Return and Earn visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returnandearn.org.au/donate/</a> Images: Supplied This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Return and Earn.

Money & Banking

The most feel-good way to recycle

Long-time Return and Earner "Scooter Dave" has been a keen participant in the NSW container deposit scheme since the program started, and the Illawarra local has returned 500,000 containers in that time. Dave gets about on a scooter and any day when weather and health permits, he completes his route to collect rubbish from Windang Bridge in Shellharbour. Along the way he picks up eligible drink containers from residents and businesses who keep them in their yards ready for his scooter collection service. He has donated all of the $50,000 in refunds to many charities, including the Smith Family, the Sydney Children’s Hospital, and children’s ward in Wollongong, bushfire appeals and the Illawarra Convoy. “It gives me something to do, and I know that I am doing something to help people," says Scooter Dave. "People always say that there should be more people like me. There are, but they aren’t cleaning up rubbish like I am.” In a world that’s becoming more eco-conscious, we’re seeing more and more initiatives implemented to reduce the impact we’re having on the planet – from the single-use plastic bans to adopting reusable packaging and recycling. Recycling remains one of the best ways to help protect the environment. The benefits of recycling include reducing the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfill or as litter in our local environment, and reducing the need to extract raw materials from the earth to create new products such as mining raw aluminium to create cans. And with <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a> there are even more direct benefits for you. Return and Earn is one of many drink container return schemes that have been adopted around the world, where customers who return their used eligible drink containers for recycling can collect a refund. “With Return and Earn, you earn a 10c refund for every empty can, glass or plastic bottle, carton, juice box or popper that you return through one of its 600 return points across NSW. “Since the scheme launched five years ago, over 8.6 billion containers have been returned for recycling by the NSW public resulting in over $860 million in container refunds back in people’s pockets,” says Danielle Smalley, CEO of Exchange for Change, scheme coordinator for Return and Earn. The scheme is entirely funded by the beverage industry, aiming to place responsibility for container recycling firmly back with the industry. The scheme targets commonly littered items and includes most 150ml to three litre plastic, glass, aluminium, steel, and liquid paperboard containers. Eligible containers featuring the 10 cent refund mark can be redeemed for the refund. “Return and Earn is an extraordinary example of how individual action can have a collective impact,” says Smalley. The environmental benefits of the scheme have exceeded expectations – reducing the volume of drink container litter by 52 per cent compared to pre-scheme levels and sending over 755,000 tonnes of material to be recycled. Plus the Return and Earn app makes recycling your containers even easier because you can check the map to see where the nearest return points are to your location and make sure they’re open. Another fantastic feature on the app is the container checker which helps you avoid taking containers that are not eligible. Simply scan the barcode on your container and the app tells you if it can be returned for recycling at a return points. If not, they can go straight into your household recycling bin. Choose your recycling experience To return your containers, you can choose from four types of return points, depending on what suits you and what is nearby. There are Return and Earn machines - a self-service option where you return your containers one-at-a time. You’ll receive a receipt which is redeemable for cash at the partner redemption location or payment straight to your bank account by downloading the Return and Earn app. There are also Return and Earn Centres which are larger format indoor locations featuring multiple machines inside. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/01/Tomra1.png" alt="Return and Earn" width="741" height="423" /> For larger numbers, heading to your nearest automated depot is your best option. Here staff will take your bags of eligible containers and process them in their automated counting system called a singulator. Once counted, they’ll provide you with your cash refund. Even local businesses are taking part, with some corner stores, newsagents, fruit shops and some Surf Life Saving Clubs able to take your containers and give you your refund. To find your nearest return point, visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/return-points/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.returnandearn.org.au</a>. Top tips for returning and earning When you’re ready to return your first collection of containers, here are some tips to make your experience even easier: <ul> <li>Download the Return and Earn app: use the app store available on your mobile phone. </li> <li>Sort your containers before you go: if you’re using a Return and Earn machine, sort your glass containers from your plastic bottles and cans as these are return using separate chutes on the machine. If you’re using an automated depot or an over-the-counter return point, there’s no need to sort. </li> <li>Check if your containers are eligible: Use the Return and Earn app to check if your containers are eligible for a refund. And make sure they’re uncrushed, with the barcode visible and keep the lid on.</li> <li>Plan your trip: make sure to check opening times of your nearest return point via the Return and Earn app or website. You can even optimise your trip by checking the busiest and quietest times to visit.</li> </ul> With these tips under your belt, you can make the most of your Return and Earn experience and reap the benefits for your wallet and for the environment. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYDROMQIDbU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> For more information, visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn.</a> All images: supplied This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a>.

Retirement Income

Small detail in Coles BYO container scheme sparks confusion

A new sustainability scheme has left shoppers at Coles scratching their heads due to one seemingly counterintuitive detail. The retailer’s Together to Zero campaign has seen a handful of stores begin trialling a “bring your own packaging” scheme allowing customers to use reusable containers for items purchased from the deli counter. However, many are puzzled by one requirement of the scheme - the containers must be plastic. A sign displayed in a trial store in Blackwood, South Australia, which asked shoppers to “help reduce packaging” by bringing their own containers for deli workers to fill was shared on Facebook earlier this week by a shopper encouraging others to take part in the scheme. The sign also included requirements that the containers were “clean and intact”, had a “reusable lid”, and weren’t made of “glass or ceramic”. With the banning of single-use bags and plastic tableware, some questioned the sustainability project’s reliance on plastic over more sustainable options. “Shame there’s no glass containers allowed, but still a good move,” one person commented. “I only have glass so it’s completely useless for me,” another shared. “More crap to take to the store,” a third pointed out. Others shared concerns over the condition of containers that people would bring in, as well as the risk of food poisoning. “As much as I love the reusable option. I have fears about this. People will be bringing in manky containers that have sat in their cars for two days to refill,” one concerned person wrote. “How does this cover them for food poisoning?” another asked. Despite the concerns, some were more optimistic about the trial, with one person describing it as a “good start” and another sharing that they would “make a special trip or two” to take part. The trial of BYO containers will be taking place across several South Australian Coles supermarkets, including those in Burnside, Blackwood, Unley, Bridgewater, Mount Barker and Murray Bridge, as well as a store in Kew, Victoria. During the trial, the BYO containers aren’t allowed to be used for deli salads, frozen prawns, barbecue items, hot food, deli express products, or self-serve cheese or platters. A Coles spokesperson said the company was closely monitoring feedback of the trial, telling <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/coles-byo-containers-program-lashed-over-one-detail-with-customers-confused-over-rules/news-story/69032894b46e7174e79e203384850cd0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> that it will inform whether the scheme is rolled out to additional stores across the country. “As part of our Together to Zero Waste ambition, Coles is always looking for ways to reduce reliance on unnecessary single-use plastic, while giving customers sustainable options to help them complete their shop,” the spokesperson said. “We are trialling bring-your-own containers at a handful of Coles supermarket delis in South Australia, to understand how best to provide this option to customers while continuing to meet stringent food safety standards. “We will be looking closely at how our South Australian customers respond, and the feedback and insights will inform our consideration for potentially rolling this out to more stores in South Australia, or around Australia.” Image: Facebook

Food & Wine

Qantas loses woman's luggage that contains her mother's ashes

A woman has been left "non-functional with distress" after Qantas lost her luggage which contained her mother's ashes. On a flight from London to Sydney, the woman and her partner were confused when they were still waiting for their luggage to turn up at Sydney Airport several hours later. Women’s Community Shelters chief executive and Domestic Violence NSW chair Annabelle Daniel expressed her frustration on Twitter after she and her partner had not heard back from the airline when they reached out to enquire about the lost bag. “Hey @Qantas, my partner‘s bag is four days late from QF2 on Saturday morning,” she posted on Wednesday night in a now-deleted tweet. "It has her mother’s ashes in it. She wasn’t able to see her mum before she died, or attend the funeral in 2020 due to the pandemic." “No responses from your website. Could you help more please?” The tweets attracted the attention of several shocked Twitter users, as Annabelle described how the situation was effecting her distraught partner. “My partner was so close to her mum and just devastated she couldn’t travel to be with her when she died. Watching your mum’s funeral on Zoom is gut wrenching enough, let alone this,” she wrote. “She’s not the kind of person to make a fuss, but this compounds the grief all over again." “She’s quite non-functional with distress. I very much hope this is sorted out." “She’s so anxious and this has just been a horror show.” The Qantas Twitter account responded to Annabelle and asked for further details so they could sort out the issue. In a statement to NCA NewsWire, an airline spokesperson apologised for the “extremely distressing situation” and said the bag was being sent to the woman on Thursday. “We understand that this is an extremely distressing situation for this customer and have apologised for the delay in getting their bags to them,” the Qantas spokesperson said. “The bag is being couriered to the customer today (Thursday)." “Heathrow Airport has had widely publicised baggage issues over recent days which led to tens of thousands of misplaced bags.” Airports all over the world have been making headlines for long queues, baggage losses and dallied flights as eager travellers jet off freely for the first time since the start of the pandemic, putting unprecedented strain on air travel. Image credits: Getty Images <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.3308715820312px; margin-bottom: 32px;"> </div>

Travel Trouble

Family spat sees mum living in a shipping container

After Varina Quinn gave her daughter the family home in return for lifetime tenancy, she has been left homeless and sleeping in a shipping container. “I feel like I’ve lost my daughter and my home,” she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/queensland-mother-living-shipping-container-after-transferring-daughter-property-title/f49ed414-b1dc-40d2-a76c-8ffb2d54912e" target="_blank">A Current Affair</a>. Varina had lived alone in her home near Toowoomba for 15 years, until her daughter Rachel moved in following a break-up. She said she “really felt for [Rachel]” and wanted to help her get back on her feet. “I suggested that if she would like to, because she came out with nothing, I’d gift her the house in exchange for lifetime tenancy and she would support me,” Varina said. The property title was transferred to Rachel in 2019 for the remaining balance of the mortgage, with the pair entering a lease with conditions that would grant Varina lifetime tenancy. “I was there for less than a year before she threw me out,” she said. Now, Varina lives in a shipping container in the front yard of her son Caleb’s rental home. “She wanted me to leave immediately. So, she has all my possessions as well,” Varina said. Caleb said he tried to warn his mother before she signed the house over to Rachel. “I didn’t think it was a good idea … I didn’t like the fact that she was giving out the only place she had to live to my sister,” he said. After a fight between Varina and Rachel last October, their arrangement started to turn sour. “She just kept repeating the words ‘when are you leaving’ … I was very upset. And I called my son and Caleb came, came up to pick me up,” Varina said. “She did say, ‘don’t ever bring her back here again’,” Caleb said. Rachel let Caleb return the next day to pick up some of Varina’s belongings, and he began filming after he arrived. He claims Rachel told him he couldn’t take anything. “She has family photos. She has all my electronics, white goods, furniture. All my prepping supplies, all my tools,” Varina said. When approached by A Current Affair, Rachel said Varina had instead taken all of her belongings, and that she had none that belonged to her mother. “She’s got all my stuff, everything is at her place,” Rachel said. Despite differing takes on the events, Rachel changed her mind after she was told her mother was living in a shipping container. “The home is open to her whenever she wants to come home,” Rachel said. Though Varina isn’t convinced, Rachel claims “everything was done above board”. “I did everything she ever asked me to do … I didn’t kick her out … I’m the victim here,” she said. Property law expert Tim O’Dwyer advises those entering deals with their family to see separate lawyers. “If you want the property, you might lose your family. It might be better to lose the property and keep the family,” he said. Varina said she has filed a civil claim in the district court, in a move that she never imagined doing. “Family, they protect each other. But in this case, she betrayed me,” Varina said. Image: A Current Affair

Family & Pets

Takeaway containers shape what (and how) we eat

Home cooks have been trying out their skills during isolation. But the way food tastes depends on more than your ability to follow a recipe. Our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25713964/">surroundings</a>, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/485781">the people</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/25/7/471/952605">we share food with</a> and the design of our tableware – our cups, bowls and plates, cutlery and containers – affect the way we experience food. For example, eating from a heavier bowl can make you feel food is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329311000966?via%3Dihub">more filling and tastes better</a> than eating from a lighter one. Contrast this with fast food, which is most commonly served in lightweight disposable containers, which encourages <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666312001754">fast eating</a>, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2907">underestimating</a> how much food you’re eating, and has even been linked to becoming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23773044/">impatient</a>. These are just some examples of the vital, but largely unconscious, relationship between the design of our tableware – including size, shape, weight and colour – and how we eat. In design, this relationship is referred to as an object’s “<a href="https://jnd.org/affordances_and_design/">affordances</a>”. Affordances guide interactions between objects and people. As Australian sociologist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/how-artifacts-afford">Jenny Davis writes</a>, affordances: …push, pull, enable, and constrain. Affordances are how objects shape behaviour for socially situated subjects. Designed objects don’t make us do things. The colour of your crockery When you visit a restaurant, the chances are your dinner will be served on a plain white plate. But French chef Sebastien Lepinoy has staff <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=-5gCBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT118&lpg=PT118&dq=Sebastien+Lepinoy+paint+plates&source=bl&ots=8jc3yBavYd&sig=ACfU3U0jRwMOQtM_NmOspLXcyXp9SiVTuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqzNzj3MPpAhUOxjgGHQnvDlEQ6AEwCnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Sebastien%20Lepinoy%20paint%20plates&f=false">paint the plates</a> to match the daily menu and “entice the appetite”. Research seems to back him up. Coloured plates can enhance flavours to actually change the dining experience. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22128561">one study</a>, salted popcorn eaten from a coloured bowl tasted sweeter than popcorn eaten from a white bowl. In <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Does-the-colour-of-the-mug-influence-the-taste-of-Doorn-Wuillemin/476e322e1de2c705e8691e14c72c814fd79e5e09">another</a>, a café latte served in a coloured mug tasted sweeter than one in a white mug. This association between colour and taste seems to apply to people from Germany to China. A review of <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0033-1">multiple studies</a> conducted in many countries over 30 years finds people consistently associated particular colours with specific tastes. Red, orange or pink is most often associated with sweetness, black with bitterness, yellow or green with sourness, and white and blue with saltiness. The size of your plate The influence of plate size on meal portions depends on the dining experience and whether you are <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/897365/DUBELAAR-JACR-Plate-Size-Meta-Analysis-Paper-2016.pdf">serving yourself</a>. In a buffet, for example, people armed with a small plate may eat more because they can go back for multiple helpings. Nonetheless, average plate and portion sizes have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/25/problem-portions-eating-too-much-food-control-cutting-down">increased</a> over the years. Back in her day, grandma used to serve meals on plates 25cm in diameter. Now, the average dinner plate is 28cm, and many restaurant dinner plates have expanded to <a href="https://www.nisbets.com.au/size-of-plates">30cm</a>. Our waistlines have also expanded. Research confirms we tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666311006064">eat more calories</a> when our plates are larger, because a larger capacity plate affords a greater portion size. Plastic is too often ignored The pace of our busy lives has led many people to rely on those handy takeaways in disposable plastic food containers just ready to pop into the microwave. And it’s tempting to use plastic cutlery and cups at barbecues, picnics and kids’ birthday parties. In contrast to heavy, fragile ceramic tableware, plastic tableware is <a href="https://discardstudies.com/2019/05/21/disposability/">designed to be ignored</a>. It is so lightweight, ubiquitous and cheap we don’t notice it and pay little mind to its disposal. Plastics have also changed how we eat and drink. An aversion to the strong smell of plastic containers that once might have caused people to <a href="https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/0747936042312066?journalCode=desi">wrap their sandwiches before placing them in Tupperware</a> seems to have disappeared. We drink hot coffee though plastic lids. Australian economic sociologist Gay Hawkins and her colleagues argue lightweight, plastic water bottles have created entirely new habits, such as “<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ics/news/news_archive/2015/history_of_bottled_water_focus_of_new_book">constant sipping</a>” on the go. New products are then designed to fit and reinforce this habit. Aesthetics matter Healthy eating is not only characterised by what we eat but how we eat. For instance, eating mindfully – more thoughtfully and slowly by focusing on the experience of eating – can help you feel <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605">full faster</a> and make a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/351A3D01E43F49CC9794756BC950EFFC/S0954422417000154a.pdf/structured_literature_review_on_the_role_of_mindfulness_mindful_eating_and_intuitive_eating_in_changing_eating_behaviours_effectiveness_and_associated_potential_mechanisms.pdf">difference</a> to how we eat. And the Japanese cuisine <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/kaiseki-cheatsheet-sg">Kaiseki</a> values this mindful, slower approach to eating. It consists of small portions of beautifully arranged food presented in a grouping of small, attractive, individual plates and bowls. This encourages the diner to eat more slowly and mindfully while appreciating not only the food but the variety and setting of the tableware. Japanese people’s slower eating practices even apply to “fast food”. One <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00346651211277654/full/html">study</a> found Japanese people were more likely to eat in groups, to stay at fast food restaurants for longer and to share fast food, compared with their North American counterparts. Affordance theory is only now starting to account for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0270467617714944">cultural diversity</a> in the ways in which designed objects shape practices and experiences. The studies we have reviewed show tableware influences how we eat. Size, shape, weight, colour and aesthetics all play a part in our experience of eating. This has wide implications for how we design for healthier eating – whether that’s to encourage eating well when we are out and about, or so we can better appreciate a tastier, healthier and more convivial meal at home. Written by Abby Mellick Lopes and Karen Weiss. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/plates-cups-and-takeaway-containers-shape-what-and-how-we-eat-137059">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Businesses can refuse service to sick customers as containment efforts continue

People with flu-like symptoms can be turned away from any shop or workplace as part of measures to prevent a second wave of coronavirus. Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy said he would “protect” and “defend” the rights of business owners and employers to turn away customers and staff members who are unwell. “All of us over our lives have been on occasions wanting to soldier on with a cold and a flu, flu-like illness – we cannot do that anymore,” he told reporters on Sunday. “If one of your colleagues, or an employee, or a client turns up you have every right to say, ‘go away, I am not going to let you in, I am not going to treat you’ ... unless you’re a doctor, of course.” Professor Murphy also warned Australians against hanging out in shopping centres as states and territories begin easing their coronavirus restrictions. “We have also seen pictures of people crowded in shopping malls, in other circumstances where they have not been observing the social distancing norms that are part of our new way of behaving,” he said. “So if you’re going to a shopping centre to buy something, go and buy something but don’t hang around the shopping centre for half-an-hour mingling for no purpose – go home.” Professor Murphy said Australia could risk seeing another widespread community transmission, also known as “second wave” of coronavirus, if people fail to uphold social distancing norms and hand hygiene practices. “It is as much about the rules and regulations as it is about personal responsibility and I really want to emphasise that point,” he said. Preventing widespread community transmission is vital to protect the elderly and those with chronic conditions, he said. “People have said to me, why don’t you just protect really carefully all those with chronic conditions and the elderly; make sure they are well cocooned away from everyone else in society?” he said. “As we have seen already, that’s just not possible, if you’ve got widespread community transmission. This virus is incredibly infectious.”

Legal

Why New Zealand needs to continue decisive action to contain coronavirus

With some of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/nzs-decision-to-close-its-borders-will-hurt-tourism-but-its-the-right-thing-to-do-133707">toughest border restrictions</a> and a newly-announced <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/backing-our-health-services-combat-covid-19">NZ$500 million boost to health services</a>, New Zealand is among a small number of countries with a strategy to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand is also fortunate in having a brief window of opportunity to refine and roll out an effective response to COVID-19. At the time of writing, there were <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412042/eight-new-cases-of-coronavirus-in-nz-health-ministry-confirms">20 confirmed cases in New Zealand</a>, all related to overseas travel. There is no evidence of community transmission. This situation could change rapidly as mild cases may not seek medical attention, effectively resulting in “<a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/03/13/science.abb3221">silent transmission</a>”. This process has seen other countries slip into widespread community transmission. New Zealand is vulnerable until our testing rates and contact tracing capacity increases, potentially to the levels used successfully in <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/coronavirus-cases-have-dropped-sharply-south-korea-whats-secret-its-success">South Korea</a>. To guard against this risk New Zealand should consider a short “pulse” (a few weeks) of intense social distancing, including bringing forward the school holidays and temporary closures of most businesses, social meeting places and public transport. Doing this now has the potential to slow undetected chains of transmission while containment measures are being ramped up. If containment is sustained, there may be the chance of avoiding the prolonged lock-downs seen in many countries. New Zealand’s effort to contain COVID-19 will also help <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-nzs-tough-coronavirus-travel-rules-are-crucial-to-protecting-lives-at-home-and-across-the-pacific-133779">protect Pacific Island</a> nations. Samoa in particular has a terrible history of devastating pandemics, notably <a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2018/11/07/a-100-years-ago-today-a-death-ship-from-nz-arrived-in-samoa-a-reminder-of-nzs-responsibilities-to-its-south-pacific-neighbours/">influenza in 1918</a> and more recently measles. Intensive containment can work Like other countries, New Zealand has relied on advice from the World Health Organization, whose pandemic plan, originally developed for influenza, focuses on managing spread <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-influenza-pandemic-plan-framework-action">through successive phases</a>. But <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30567-5/fulltext">COVID-19 is not influenza</a>. Its longer incubation period (median of five to six days, compared to influenza with one to three days) means we have a better chance of case identification and isolation, but probably only if <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30074-7/fulltext">done swiftly and effectively</a>. By introducing border restrictions and maintaining a focus on stamping out chains of transmission, New Zealand has joined countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan that rigorously pursue containment of COVID-19. The strongest evidence that containment works comes from the remarkable success of China in <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf">reversing a large outbreak</a>. Also relevant are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/opinion/coronavirus-best-response.html">examples of smaller Asian jurisdictions</a>. Planning for the next phase if containment fails New Zealand needs to continue planning for the scenario where containment fails and we move into widespread community transmission. With COVID-19, it seems impossible to spread demand for treatment sufficiently to manage it through <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf">existing health sector capacity</a>. At this point, we would need additional social distancing measures to suppress the epidemic to ensure <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf">New Zealand’s hospital and intensive care capacity</a> are not overwhelmed. We also need to strengthen other critical components of the national response, notably hospital capacity to treat large numbers of critically ill patients with pneumonia while also ensuring high standards of infection control. And it is vital to support vulnerable populations to reduce their risk of infection. As with influenza, the risk of COVID-19 infection is particularly concentrated in older people and those with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jid/article-abstract/221/2/183/5611323">chronic medical conditions</a>. This makes Māori and Pacific peoples particularly vulnerable – as <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/1/11-0035_article">seen in past pandemics</a>. Support with social distancing, hygiene and home isolation in a way that is consistent with tikanga (Māori customary practices) is particularly important for protecting these groups. Services for community diagnosis and treatment need to be responsive to these populations, as well as those with disabilities and the elderly. Strategic challenges ahead Countries have consistently underestimated the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of its global spread and intensity. They now seem to be diverging markedly in their strategic responses. New Zealand is among those countries and territories committed to containment, but elsewhere, the aim in most high-income countries seems to be to mitigate the effects. Across much of the rest of the world, including the United States, it is unclear whether there this is an agreed goal to guide the national response. The possibility of uncontrolled outbreaks in some regions means countries that pursue containment will face long-term challenges, until a vaccine or treatment is available. All of these approaches have uncertainty and risks and we will only understand the net societal benefits and costs in hindsight. Certainly in New Zealand, the containment approach appears to have widespread public support, particularly across the health sector. Many of us are working to monitor and evaluate it so that we can learn how to better manage such threats in the future, some of which may be far worse as biotechnology advances open up new hazards.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133714/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-baker-169808">Michael Baker</a>, Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-wilson-133898">Nick Wilson</a>, Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-new-zealand-needs-to-continue-decisive-action-to-contain-coronavirus-133714">original article</a>.

International Travel

Some infant formula milks contain more sugar than soda drinks new research reveals

Some formula milks have double the sugar per serving than a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35831125">glass of soda</a>. That was the key finding of our <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-020-1252-0">global investigation</a> into the sugar content of infant formula and follow-on milks. But perhaps more shocking is the fact that there are so few regulations in place to control sugar content and to make sure consumers are well informed. We all love sugar. But too much of the sweet stuff can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/">dental disease</a>. Our preference for sugary foods stems from our primitive ancestors, who were scavengers and sought out sweet foods for energy. But if we are hardwired to like sweet foods, being fed lots of sugar as babies can increase our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738223/">desire for sweet things</a> and increase the risk of developing disease in later life. Breast milk is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882692/">the recommended</a> source of nutrition for infants, especially during the first six months of life. Although it is sweet and high in energy, the sugar is mainly lactose and the content is specific to the needs of the growing infant. Conversely, infant formula milks have a standardised make-up and contain added sugars such as corn syrup which are added during production and are not found in breast milk. This is bad for babies because high consumption of added sugars <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267219313401?via%3Dihub">may contribute</a> to tooth decay, poor diet and lead to obesity in children. We investigated the sugar content of 212 commercially available infant formula milk products targeted at infants under three. The products were being sold in supermarkets in 11 countries. We collected data on sugar content from nutrition labels and compared it to average breast milk compositions and sugar content guidelines. We also noted the clarity of the labels and the marketing strategies used on the packaging. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-020-1252-0">Our findings</a> revealed that over half of the products contained more than 5g of sugar per 100ml. In many cases, the sugar content was over 7.5g per 100ml, which exceeds <a href="http://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/8274">European parliament</a> recommended levels for infants. For example, we found that a powdered product for infants under six months sold in France contained 8.2g of sugar per 100ml, or nearly two teaspoons, while a ready-to-drink milk formula for infants under 12 months sold in the UK contained 8.1g of sugar per 100ml. This comes at a time when sugar-sweetened beverages have been subject to widespread taxation to reduce their sugar content due to <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/sites/default/files/PPA-Building-Momentum-Report-WEB.pdf">negative impacts on health</a>. As a result, many formula products included in our study contained almost double the sugar of well known drinks such as <a href="https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/drinks/fanta/fanta-orange">Fanta Orange</a>. Nutritional information Obtaining information from the labels of these formula products was difficult as the fonts used were small and the facts provided varied between countries. For example, some products listed sugar content per 100g while others listed it per 100kcal. This is despite <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/3521/regulation/18/made">guidelines</a>, such as those in the UK, which state that values should be expressed as kJ/kcal per 100ml. There are also <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/international-code-marketing-breastmilk-substitutes-resources/the-code/">codes</a> in place to limit the marketing of infant formula products because they are not the best way to feed a growing baby. But most of these are voluntary codes of practice which manufacturers do not have to abide by. Even guidelines which are enforced by law can be side-stepped by manufacturers, since they are <a href="https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/content/dam/gb/reports/health/dont-push-it.pdf">not strictly monitored</a> and have loopholes. In some cases, manufacturers themselves have even influenced their development. <a href="https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/content/dam/gb/reports/health/dont-push-it.pdf">For example</a>it was revealed that the industry has funded research into infant health and has given doctors free formula products. This almost certainly helps ensure that their sale is affected as little as possible by such guidelines. It is possible that the sale of infant formula products has increased worldwide as a result. The World Health Organization’s <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/international-code-marketing-breastmilk-substitutes-resources/the-code/">International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes</a> stipulates that infant formula products should not be promoted over breastfeeding. <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/3521/regulation/17/made">In the UK</a> the guidelines state that the labels on products targeted at infants under six months should not include images of infants or any other pictures that idealise their use. But we found that many of the formulas had labels that included images of infants or cute toys of animals, presumably designed to entice caregivers into buying. Such findings are not unsurprising as there is evidence that <a href="http://www.babymilkaction.org/monitoring-global">harmful marketing strategies</a> have been used extensively by infant formula and follow-on milk manufacturers. Recommendations Our findings are alarming, as is the potential negative impact of the high sugar content on the health of babies. We urge parents and caregivers to opt for breast milk whenever possible. However, to help those families unable to breastfeed their babies, we also have two key recommendations for policymakers: 1) Regulate the amount and type of sugar in infant formula products as a matter of urgency. Encourage manufacturers to aim for formulations as close to breast milk as possible. Such regulations could be conducted in a similar way to the taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages which have been <a href="https://www.worldobesity.org/resources/policy-dossiers/pd-1/case-studies">implemented across the world</a>. 2) We are also calling for the mandatory disclosure of added sugar by manufacturers and suggest that this could be implemented alongside the introduction of a clear front-of-pack labelling system. Such disclosures and clear labelling could aid consumers to make informed choices about what products they purchase. Written by Gemma Bridge. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/some-infant-formula-milks-contain-more-sugar-than-soda-drinks-new-research-129655">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

URGENT RECALL: Popular seafood snack contains undeclared peanut and soy allergens

An urgent recall has been issued for a popular seafood snack as it contains undeclared peanut and soy allergens that could cause a severe allergic reaction. The Hoshi Otsumami Fish Snack Original and Hoshi Otsumami Fish Snack Herbal have been sold in Asian and independent supermarkets in Queensland. The original 125g version being recalled by Mur Thai Food contains soy while the 110 herbal products contain peanuts. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FQLDHealth%2Fphotos%2Fa.217413675033389%2F2749578215150243%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="658" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Food Standards Australia said that those who have an intolerance to the two allergens should not eat the respective fish snacks. “Consumers should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund,” the advice said. Both products were manufactured in Thailand. Further information on the recall can be found by contacting Mur Thai Food Co. Pty Ltd on 07 3172 4873. Photo credit: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.facebook.com/QLDHealth/posts/2749579715150093" target="_blank">Queensland Health</a>

Food & Wine

Revealed: The foods we’re eating that contain weed killer

A new study called the Total Diet Survey, which was done by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has found that Australians are eating the RoundUp chemical “glyphosate” for breakfast. The research also found that parents are unknowingly feeding it to infants as the chemical was found in baby food. The chemical was also found in: <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Multigrain, wholemeal, spelt, rye and white breads</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Savoury biscuits and crackers</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rice-based breakfast cereals</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rice-based flours</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rice-based crackers</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Infant baby cereal, as this is also a rice-based product</li> </ul> Cereals and cereal products, in particular bread, were the “major contributing food category to glyphosate dietary exposures” according to the agency. However, the agency was quick to point out that the levels found within the bread was well below accepted dietary limits and concluded that there was “no public health and safety concerns for most substances”. The 25th Australian Total Diet Survey sampled 88 foods for a wide range of herbicides and pesticides and found that contaminant levels were “generally low, with a large proportion of food supplies containing no detectable residues” according to <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2019/07/20/roundup-food-cancer/">The New Daily</a>. However, the agency has come under fire for its unchanged levels of glyphosate amid mounting calls for Australian regulators to review the chemical’s use and potential carcinogenic effects on people. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world with more than 6 billion kilograms applied over the last decade. In a recent landmark case, a US couple was awarded $2 billion in damages when a California jury found that their cancer was caused by exposure to RoundUp. Public health academic Dr Bruce Armstrong, from the University of Sydney, said it was time for regulators to “get real” about glyphosate instead of “point-blank denying the evidence”.

Food & Wine

ALDI madness! Shoppers are going crazy over latest freezer find

German supermarket giant ALDI has just released a must-have for any shopper looking for a good storage solution for their freezer. The bargain buy – the Crofton freezer containers – come in a pack of three in a variety of shapes and sizes priced at just $6.99. The Instagram account ALDI Lovers Australia posted the find to its 86,000 cult following writing: “Spotted these freezer containers today and they would also be awesome for meal prepping.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByM2OrmAga4/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByM2OrmAga4/" target="_blank">A post shared by Tammy - Aldi Lovers Australia (@aldiloversau)</a> on Jun 2, 2019 at 1:30am PDT </div> </blockquote> The containers, priced at just $2.33 each, have a section where you can write what is inside each container. While the affordable buy was a must-have to some customers, some of those who purchased the storage solution when they were initially released a few years back were not convinced of it’s usefulness. “I had them last year. I won’t recommend you getting them. No good,” one shopper wrote, adding they felt the lids changed shape after a few years of usage. Another customer wrote the containers were not microwavable so it “defeats the purpose". However, others recommended the product. “I’ve had mine for over a year mainly to freeze stuff and have found them fine I take the lid off and use a microwave cover anyways, so lids are no issue,” one user wrote. Another added: “I’ve had mine for ages, and they are still fine. I still recommend them.” These freezer containers are BPA free and are freezer and dishwasher safe, despite shoppers being mixed on how safe they would be going into a microwave.

Money & Banking

The genius cleaning hack that will make your plastic containers look as good as new

An Instagram account dedicated to providing cleaning hacks has gained traction after their latest tip. Instagram account Blossom, which currently has 3.9 million followers, has addressed a problem that almost everyone can relate to – stained lunchbox containers. The video, which has amassed a whopping 650,000 views in just one day, takes you through a 5-step process to ensure your containers end up looking as good as new. In the short clip, a yellow-tinged lunchbox is shown. The expert then adds a generous scoop of sugar to the stained container. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZR_z-A-PF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZR_z-A-PF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Blossom (@blossom)</a> on Mar 24, 2019 at 7:53am PDT </div> </blockquote> Adding a squirt of dishwashing soap over the sugar, the cleaning aficionado lets the mixture sit in the lunchbox. Then, in a surprising turn of events, she adds six ice cubes and lets them dissolve. The last step involves a glass of water which is added to the mixture. It is then left to sit for 10 minutes. Once the concoction is emptied and the container is rinsed, the formerly stained item is now looking as good as new. Sugar helps break down old stains due to the enzymes it carries, while the ice cubes take apart the discoloured tinge. Users took to the comments section to praise the expert for helping them with something they’ve struggled with for a long time. “You just solved a problem so many households have!” wrote one user. “This is so great for busy parents, thanks for sharing!” said another. Scroll through the gallery above to see the step-by-step process for removing stains off plastic containers. Will you be trying out this nifty hack? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

Why Woolies and Coles are refusing to serve customers with plastic containers

Woolworths and Coles have come under fire for not allowing environmentally conscious shoppers to bring their own containers for deli items. Both supermarket companies use health and safety as reasons for the ban, but customers who have been refused the plastic-saving option are not satisfied. Frustrated shoppers have stated that the rule has not applied when shopping at smaller retailers as one woman said she was “very disappointed” after being denied by deli staff when wanting to use a container she brought from home at her local Coles store in Southland, Victoria. “When I asked the Store Manager as to why, I was told that due to hygiene reasons, company policy did not allow for this,” she posted on the Coles Facebook page. “I am shocked and appalled just how much plastic waste is generated in your store daily (and not just from the deli section, the fruit and veg and general groceries too), so I have taken my business to a local shop that happily allows me to use my own tongs, container and reusable plastic bags. “Coles, please rethink your policy and help reduce what is a massive waste issue. Thank you.” And she wasn’t the only one disappointed in the supermarket's policy, as other shoppers have also voiced their concerns on the company’s social media page. “This was a container from a previous purchase of olives from this store and was obviously clean and undamaged. The young lady seemed surprised when I said I didn’t want any if I can’t reuse my container. Well, I won’t be shopping at Coles again,” a man said. Competitor Woolworths also received the same treatment with several customers demanding a more environmentally-friendly alternative. “Would love it if we could bring our own clean reusable containers to the deli counter too, or just have products weighed and wrapped in paper,” said a user on the company's Facebook page. “Any plans to change your store policy about not accepting reusable containers at the deli counter?” asked another. Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/major-supermarkets-dont-allow-customers-bring-reusable-containers-084928132.html" target="_blank">Yahoo7</a>, a spokesperson from Woolworths said: “This is not something we can offer due to food safety and operational reasons. “We continue to work hard on the reduction of unnecessary plastics right across our stores, this included taking 3.2 billion single-use plastic bags out of circulation every year, and trials to remove plastic packaging from 80 fruit and vegetable lines over the next year.” Coles also agrees with these sentiments as it believes it’s a health and safety risk, saying it made it “very difficult for us to do a thorough investigation if a customer becomes ill and we are unsure where the used container came from". What do you think of Coles and Woolworths' plastic container policy? Let us know in the comments below.

Money & Banking

Woolworths shuts down proposal to BYO containers

Woolworths has shut down suggestions they are considering letting shoppers bring in their own Tupperware containers for buying meat and fish. After <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2018/06/steve-prices-rant-on-the-project-over-plastic-bag-ban/">controversially removing single use plastic bags</a> from supermarkets for environmental reasons, Woolies is reportedly weighing up the benefits of Tupperware containers to reduce meat packaging, reported The Daily Telegraph. However, a Woolworths spokesperson has shut down the claim this morning over concerns about contamination risks of bringing non-sterilised containers into meat, seafood and deli departments. “This is not something we offer at the moment due to food safety and operational reasons, but we are always looking for new ways to help customers reduce plastic consumption across our stores,” a Woolworths spokesman said. Currently, Morrisons Supermarkets in the UK gives shoppers the option of having their raw meat and fish weighed at the counter and then placed into the shoppers’ own containers. Customers who do so are rewarded with 100 loyalty card points – the equivalent of 10p or almost 20 cents – and receive a sticker on their container to be scanned at checkout. Coles is not considering the introduction and says it “does not allow customers to bring in their own containers to use as it poses a health and safety risk”. “It also makes it very difficult for us to do a thorough investigation if a customer becomes ill and we are unsure where the container used came from,” a spokeswoman said. “However, Coles is actively working to reduce waste and landfill through a variety of initiatives, such as removing single-use plastic bags from all Coles supermarkets on July 1.”

Money & Banking

Courier loses package containing family’s $863,000 inheritance

No one likes to have a package lost in the mail, but it was a particularly bitter pill for one Canadian family to swallow after learning that the parcel containing their $863,000 inheritance was lost by US courier company UPS. In February, Lorette and John Taylor from Ontario were finalising Lorette’s father’s will and sending out the inheritances to her siblings, including her brother Louis Paul Herbert, who lives around 440km away. They visited their bank to get certified cheques but were told bank drafts would be more appropriate given the sums involved. Cautious about sending so much money across the country, the Taylors inquired if there were any anti-theft protections in place. “I was told there were procedures to deal with that,” John told <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/ups-td-canada-trust-bank-draft-1.4447384" target="_blank">CBC News</a>. “[We were told we would just] fill out some documentation and a new draft would be issued.” So, the couple went ahead, hiring UPS to ship the bank draft from their lawyer’s office to a UPS store near where Louis lived. It made its way to a distribution centre near Toronto, but that was the last they saw of the money. “I’m waiting at the UPS store, around 3 pm because that’s when they said the guys came in ... nothing shows up,” Louis recalled. “I came back in the evening. Nothing shows up ... and I’m wondering, ‘What’s happened to my inheritance?’ “I should have just driven [to the lawyer’s office]. It’s something I kick myself in the rear over every day.” A spokesperson for UPS admitted that, “While UPS’ service is excellent in our industry, we are unfortunately not perfect. Occasionally, the loss of a package does occur. “Our records indicate that our team followed UPS protocol and an exhaustive search for this package was completed by our Operations and Security teams. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate the package.” As compensation for the loss, however, the courier offered the Taylors just $33 for the “inconvenience”. Understandably, the Taylors were unhappy with this result and a three-way battle began between them, UPS and their bank, TD Canada Trust, trying to recover the money. Finally, after 10 months, the bank has apologised and released the funds back to the family just hours after CBC News broke the story last week. “We understand that we’ve reached a resolution with our customer," a TD Canada Trust spokesperson said. “It’s clear to us we didn’t get this right along the way and that there was more we could have done to come to a resolution faster.”

Money & Banking

How an empty dental floss container comes in handy when you travel

From your passport to your toothbrush and a good set of ear plugs, there are some obvious items you should never travel without. But there are often other items we could pack that are equally as useful, but not quite as obvious. For instance, you wouldn’t think an empty dental floss pack would find its way onto many people’s packing list (even full ones probably don’t make the cut). But these packs can actually be repurposed into travel tools that are quite useful. <a href="https://www.smartertravel.com/" target="_blank">Smarter Travel’s</a> Elissa Leibowitz-Poma explains: “When your dental floss runs out, don’t throw away the box,” she says. “Instead, use it to hide cash when you’re traveling. The box stays in my toiletry kit, and I’m pretty sure a burglar, even if he looked in my toiletry bag, likely wouldn’t open up the floss.” What are your thoughts? Will you bring an empty dental floss pack on your travels?

Travel Tips

This city is banning plastic takeaway containers

An Australian city has promised to ban plastic takeaway containers in the next three years. Hobart City Council decided on Monday night they would axe containers by 2020, in their latest moves in its war on waste. Tasmania’s Plastic Shopping Ban Act 2013 prevents retailers from supplying shoppers with lightweight plastic shopping bags. However, this does not include plastics bags that are biodegradable, resealable zipper storage bags, heavier and thicker plastic bags, and plastic bags that are part of packaging for items like bread, frozen food or ice bags. Hobart alderman Bill Harvey said the ban on plastic containers would set an example for the whole country, <a href="http://www.themercury.com.au/" target="_blank">The Mercury</a> reports. “This is something that I think will have an impact on society,” he said. “It’s time to start moving on an issue like this and the council can be a national leader.”

News

This dairy-free coffee ice cream contains just four ingredients

A four-ingredient dairy-free coffee ice cream has gone viral for its simplicity and utter deliciousness. The very simple recipe contains just four ingredients and doesn’t need an ice cream maker. The dairy-free treat also calls for fresh bananas instead of cream for the base. The recipe was shared by Becca Ludlum from <a href="https://mycrazygoodlife.com/dairy-free-coffee-ice-cream-recipe/" target="_blank">My Crazy Good Life</a> earlier this year. Dairy-free coffee ice cream recipe Serves: two (two scoops each) Ingredients: <ul> <li>3-4 sliced frozen bananas</li> <li>1/4 cup of very strong espresso coffee (at room temp) </li> <li>Honey/sugar</li> <li>1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I prefer coffee extract if you can find it)</li> </ul> Method: 1. Brew coffee. I made my coffee and sweetened with just a bit of sugar to my liking, as I was worried the ice cream would turn out a bit bitter. Let it cool. 2. In a food processor, add the frozen bananas, coffee, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. 3. Freeze for an hour.

Food & Wine

Container-home revolutionising the world of accommodation

When you think of the sort of accommodation you’re booking on a getaway to the Spanish island of Mallorca, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a resort or some sort of cheap hotel. Today’s Airbnb is going to change all of that. As innovative as it is bold, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/328541/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_containerhome" target="_blank">space-effective container-home</a> in Palma, the island’s vibrant capital, will change the way you think about holiday accommodation, and is the perfect base for you to explore this gorgeous corner of the world. Full of light, with a small pool and barbecue, the <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/328541/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_containerhome" target="_blank">container home</a> is in a quiet, non-touristy area that’s just 15 minutes from the historic centre of Palma. You’re close to public transport and a range of attractions, without feeling too crowded. The house itself is a marvel of architecture, as you can see when you scroll through the gallery above, and has every modern amenity you’d expect for a comfy stay. For more information, or to book the container house <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/328541/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_containerhome" target="_blank">click here</a>. And even if you’re not headed to Spain anytime soon, make sure you scroll through the gallery above. It’s quite interesting to see how the architect made use of the limited space. Have you ever been to Spain before? <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60" target="_blank">Whether you want to make money by renting your place or to find affordable accommodation options and stretch your travel budget further, head over to Airbnb now and have a look around.</a>

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