After weeks of petition and public pressure, Peppermint today celebrates the news that clothing giants H&M and Zara have made momentous steps towards improving worker safety and supply chain transparency by signing the legally-binding Accord on Building Fire and Safety in Bangladesh. The importance of this move cannot be underestimated, particularly by brands as large…
In the wake of the tragic incidents in Bangladesh’s garment industry, international sportswear giant Adidas has stepped up efforts to improve labour conditions for workers. The brand is encouraging workers in the factories of its Asian suppliers to share grievances about conditions via anonymous text to a special SMS hotline. The initiative has already been…
If you’ve ever perused the International Union for Conservation of Nature‘s (IUCN) Red List, you’ll know that it’s not exactly light reading. Designed to help classify, monitor and ultimately aid in conservation, it ranks the extinction risk of species including mammals, birds, sharks and reef-building corals. It was announced today that a similar system would be implemented to…
Rom-coms are all well and good, but sometimes we hunger for something with a bit more substance than our movie popcorn. If you enjoy your films served up with a side of outrage over the world’s injustices alongside joy at triumphs over adversity, feast your eyes on the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, touring…
We may soon see him on our screens in The Great Gatsby, but behind the scenes, Leonardo DiCaprio has been continuing his many years of work for environmental causes. He recently partnered his Foundation with world famous auction house Christies to host an upcoming charity art auction for environmental and wildlife conservation. Not many people…
Along with Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day sees the highest demand for cut flowers across Australia. While there is nothing quite like the beauty of fresh flowers (and all of our mums no doubt deserve a big bouquet of love!), there are a few choices you can make this Mother’s Day to ensure your purchase is…
It was only fitting that the sixth edition of Eco Fashion Week Vancouver was held during Earth Week celebrations – and we’re envious of the many great programs that took place! For the first time, the week kicked off with a series of free seminars on sustainability and innovation in the fashion industry. The event’s…
From humble beginnings in 2001 as an outdoor sculpture exhibit, the biennial Floating Land Festival has grown into one of Australia’s leading green art events. This year’s installment runs from May 31 to June 9, with displays and performances happening all over the Sunshine Coast, including Noosaville, Boreen Point, Tewantin, Kin Kin and Cooroy. With the guiding theme…
We are loving these super colourful ceramics and kitchen accessories by RICE – a Danish design house committed to ethical manufacture and the first Scandinavian company of their kind to receive Social Accountability International SA8000 certification. Bowls and plates in RICE’s signature brights take inspiration from organic shapes and are available online through Corner Store. Shop happy knowing that RICE supports…
In this age of GM crops and corporatised farming, the saving of naturally-pollinated seeds has become a dedicated – and, many argue, highly necessary – practice. To give you an introduction to what seed saving is all about, Sydney’s Milkwood are hosting Seed Circus this Sunday, May 5th in Redfern as part of International Permaculture…
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, goes the quote from Shakespeare, but a bouquet’s fragrance fades somewhat when you consider that the majority of flowers sold here are imported from developing countries where working conditions are less than ideal. That’s no reason to stop buying blooms, but you may like to…
This week marks the start of a worldwide meditation campaign for a very worthy cause. Mindful in May is all about challenging people to develop more awareness, appreciation and clarity in everyday life, while also bringing attention to the issue of access to clean water. Open to beginner and experienced meditators, by registering for Mindful…