Archive for December, 2009

Nuts for Coconuts

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Did you know that coconuts kill 150 people every year? That’s 10 times the number of people who die due to shark attacks, which means you’re more likely to live through a day at the beach if you’re in the water than you are if you’re dawdling on the shore. If anything’s going to make a bloke get swimming lessons it’s that. And did you also know that shredded unsweetened coconut contains 25 grams of fat and 280 calories? Why am I talking about coconuts? Well, they’re one of the most useful things on the little island I call home, not to mention wherever else they grow, and I guess they deserve a little mention now and again.

But coconuts aren’t all homicidal fat mongers. In fact, an interesting titbit of info to note is that the liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for blood plasma – bet you didn’t think you could ever have coconut blood coursing through your veins, did you? Well, I’m here telling you that it is possible. But that’s not the last of it – sure the other uses of coconuts are pretty mundane in comparison to their importance as life-saving super-drupes, but seeing as how every single part of this miracle fruit/nut/seed is a resource to us, you can bet that what they lack in the wow factor, they make up for in versatility.

To begin with, walk into my house and you’ll find heaps of coconut products; my trusty broom, for one – perfect for getting rid of unwanted muck (kidding, Bob). The fibre of the husk is used for all kinds of household goods, including mats, ropes, twine, fuel, coco peat, clothing and even filters. It does its job particularly well due to its resistance to salt water and overall toughness.

What’s more, the coconut fronds are often used by locals for thatched roofs, which they make themselves to shelter their houses. The hard shells can be cut, carved and polished to make all kinds of utensils and ornaments. Go visit any seaside souvenir shop and you’ll probably find some nifty coconut product that is WAY overpriced and yet too cute to resist.

And don’t get me started about the food! Coconut is used in all types of ways to make traditional meals and sweets, from deliciously spicy curries to mouth-watering coconut toffee. The possibilities are endless.

And what happens when the tree stops producing its wonder-fruit? Turn away to the next hot topic? Hell no! Once again the coconut tree offers its services to humanity in the form of its wood. Called porcupine wood (splinters?), this wood is used widely to make furniture and other products for our convenience.

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USE THE TAPS, PEOPLE!

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Many of the people who read this article have probably bought water bottles at some point; a large percentage of you may even do so on a daily basis, and I know for a fact that some tend to live off water bottles alone. Now I know that we all have a right to our own choices. We all have the freedom to define how we live – as long as we’re not hurting anyone else in the process, right? What if I told you that water bottles often do more harm than good? Today I’ll be veering off the path of random musings to discuss something that truly worries me and many others who care for the wellbeing of each other and the entire planet (yeah – that’s how serious it is).

The first fact several of us are still unwilling to give any real credence to is that companies LIE FOR PROFIT. In more cases than you think, bottled mineral water is a misleading way for companies to expand their earnings through clever marketing strategies that end up either skewing the truth or even lying outright. In fact, according to the NRDC, at least 25% of all bottled mineral water comes from a public source (ie: taps). One example of this is Pepsi-Cola’s Aquafina brand, which it stated in 2007 was just purified tap water in a bottle. This is quite outrageous when you consider how much the U.S. population spent on Aquafina in 2006 – a whopping $2.17 billion. In the same year the U.S. spent $15 billion in total on bottled mineral water. This clearly shows that bottled mineral water really isn’t worth the extra money f you can get the same thing by using a filter at home to get our water, or by just drinking it straight from the tap.

And let’s not forget the health risks. In many cases bottled mineral water can be more detrimental than beneficial. Companies add a vast amount of chemicals into bottled water, and both this and the fact that the bottles that contain the water can emit harmful substances into the water make it a risky choice, especially for those with weaker immune systems. The same survey and tests conducted by the NRDC revealed that 22% of bottled water contained contaminants that were dangerously about the state health limits. The bottles also release substances called phthalates, the levels of which are limited by the law in tap water but shockingly have no such limits in tap water. Anyone can agree with me that that’s just not right.

Then there’s the more global issue of water security. In many countries the seizure of water distribution rights by large companies has taken away the rights of many people to free-flowing water. The privatisation of this water has given the companies the ability to buy water from the country and sell to its people for much, much more, in bottles. It’s happened in places like Turkey and will continue to happen worldwide. In fact many speculate that like the war for oil, we may be fast approaching a water war. To keep this from happening we’ll have to manage our resources and make better, more socially conscious decisions.

And so there’s really no great difference between bottled mineral water and tap water, and using tap water is universally the best thing for all of us. The next time you get thirsty, consider leaving your wallet where it is and grabbing a mug from the kitchen for a good drink – you’ll be going a good deed for us all.

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