When you bite into an apple you think you’re just eating an apple right?

Wrong!

If your apple is a conventionally grown apple it’s most likely come with a side serving of fries, and by fries I mean chemical residues such as pesticides and herbicides.

Today we’re chatting about chemical residues in fruit and vegetables and what you can do to reduce your exposure.

In this Eco Chat episode I discuss:

• What pesticides are and why they're used
• Five ways to remove chemical toxins from fresh produce
• The Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists
• Why you shouldn't avoid fruit and vegetables on the Dirty Dozen list and what you should do instead.

To download your FREE Dirty Dozen Fridge Memo click here.

In today’s episode I’m chatting to Erica Brooke from ‘Erica Brooke 100% Natural Skin Care.’

Erica has a huge passion for natural skincare and green chemistry and is on a mission to help with nasty chemicals from skin care and deodorants.

Erica’s natural deodorant creams in particular are gaining a solid reputation in the natural body care space and today we’re chatting about all things deodorant, including:

• Why more people are making the change to a natural deodorant
• What causes body odour and why sweating isn’t a bad thing!
• What nasties you should look out for in commercial deodorants and their impact
• The key ingredients of natural deodorants
• Why crystal deodorants won’t always work
• Why you should consider a pit detox when transitioning from a commercial to natural deodorant, plus how to actually do this!

You can follow Erica and view her entire range of natural body products at www.ericabrooke.com.au. Enter discount code HOMEDETOX15 to save 15% off your first order!

You can read Erica’s blog on performing a pit detox here.

Erica is also a guest expert in my Home Detox Boot camp. Normally interviews like these are just part of the exclusivity of the Home Detox Boot camp, but I really wanted to share this one today because deodorants are something that all of us are applying to our bodies day in and day out which is why it’s so important to switch to a natural one! I wanted to share Erica’s story and her tips for doing the pit detoxes and also why you should switch to a natural deodorant with everyone! But of course, if you are keen to hear from a lot more of my guest experts on the topic of removing toxins from your home and your life, be it personal body care, cleaning, household, kitchen…everything, head on over to www.homedetoxbootcamp.com  and pop your name on the waiting list so that you are notified when I open it for next round which is hopefully going to be later in 2016.

So it is true!

We have 1,000 new pets but they’re probably not the kind of pets that generally spring to mind. I’m talking my favourite kind of pets….productive pets….. That’s right! Pets who contribute more than love to a household. Yes indeed, we’re the proud new owners of a worm colony….  a.k.a. a worm farm!

In this episode I chat all things worm farms, including:

• Why I decided to start a worm farm
• Why not all worms are equal and which ones you need in your worm farm
• Where to source composter worms
• How to set up a worm farm
• What to feed your worms
• How to use worm castings and worm tea.

I purchased my worms from here and my TUMBLEWEED Can-O-Worms worm farm and worm blanket from here.

Well hasn’t this past week been a storm in an egg cup!!

If you’re in Australia and have been following the media recently you’ve no doubt noticed all the kerfuffle over eggs. Supermarkets chains selling caged eggs have come under fire and the degree of greenwashing going on by brands labelling their eggs as free range, when they’re anything but, has once again come to the fore.

In this edition of Eco Chat I chat about what you're really buying when you purchase caged or free range eggs and I share my top 7 Reasons Why You Should Consider Keeping Chickens.

To access the Choice Free Range Egg Buying Guide click here.