Green Cyprus

With the recent economic turbulence, staying optimistic about the future is a challenge. Still too early to tell how badly the effects of the bailout will hit us, it may seem as though we are drifting from day to day in a state of limbo. This uncertain state of affairs perhaps casts a shadow over green issues relating to Cyprus while we dwell on what has happened and ponder over what the future is going to be following the economic collapse.

It is pleasing then that at the time of writing this article, a recent photograph of an illegal shark-catching incident taken in Latchi which came my way via Facebook has, at the time of writing, been shared by close on 200 people in 24 hours. Apply the multiplier effect, and the number of people who have seen the post rapidly increases. Add to that all the comments that the photograph has created and it is easy to see that strong environmental ethics are evident in Cyprus judging by the reaction to this post.

Without going into further detail here, you can visit Nireas Marine Research facebook page to view the photograph and the accompanying conversations that have opened up following the illegal catching of this particular shark. There are also conversation streams both on my Green Cyprus and personal pages. Of course we know that this practice has been going on for a while despite the fact that it is illegal, but sometimes it takes an action like the circulation of a photograph to anger people enough to want to do something about it. Apart from the fact that it is illegal, there is of course the ethical factor involved and ignorance regarding the tampering of our precious marine life and throwing our delicate eco-system off-balance.

Along with the aftermath of the bailout, the underlying importance of incidences like these illustrate why it has never been more important for us to embrace an eco-culture and green ethics into our way of life. These aspects have never been a priority for any government inCyprus but that must change. Now is the time for reflection about how we live our lives, the time to rebuild the country’s infrastructure in a more sustainable, green and caring manner. We need smart, bold solutions and the overall green development of the economy, from agriculture to tourism, is key to a positive and productive future, as is a more responsible attitude towards our environment.
Followers of Green Cyprus will be aware that I have written on this subject area in previous blogs and a green economy section is featured on this website. I also urge you to read an excellent article written by Constantinos Christofides for the Cyprus Mail, 18th April on this link

In Christofides words, “The creation of the Green State must become the national objective, as it will give direction to our struggling economy, open new windows of opportunity for the young generation, create jobs, drastically improve our competitiveness and allow us to live in a cleaner, safer environment.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself. This is a clever strategic move for Cyprus with a feel good factor that will undoubtedly have positive repercussions in many ways for each of us individually and the country as a whole. While it will take a long time to rebuild and revitalise, there’s no better time than now for Cyprus to go green.

On the Green Cyprus facebook page, as well as being a place for all things green, I regularly hear from disgruntled fans about issues relating to inappropriate littering, rubbish dumping and other environmental concerns such as illegal shark fishing as discussed in this article. There is a growing interest in these areas from a large number of people who care about the place they live and who seek a cleaner and greener Cyprus.

Green Cyprus has also set up a facebook group called The Phoenix Group to discuss ways in which Cyprus’s economy could be revitalised. Suggestions or solutions incorporating ‘green’ ethics or economic policies are invited to help us push forward and kick start the economy again. You are welcome to join the group and the discussions here www.facebook.com/groups/101290510068991/

You can of course also join the Green Cyprus main page www.facebook.com/GreenCyprus and keep in touch with news and information about all things green in Cyprus.

I think we can confidently predict that we won’t be having a white Christmas this year in Cyprus. Sadly for snow-lovers, the weather is beyond our control, however, we can opt for a green one instead! That’s of course green in the environmentally-friendly sense. Taking steps towards a greener Christmas is about being responsible and something we should all really be taking on board.

1. Opt for Local & Organic Food and Drink

 Always try to buy locally produced food which is organically grown. Buying locally produced food boosts rural jobs and supports our economy. If you are buying turkey or chicken, try to make sure it has been reared in humane conditions and is organic. Organic poultry besides being chemical-free, tastes better too. Organic fruit and vegetables are available in selected supermarkets and health shops so you can also enjoy pesticide-free fruit and vegetables over the festive period. Health shops tend to sell fresh organic produce at very competitive prices, especially the local produce.

You can get the party going with organic wine, beer and soft drinks (see the Green Cyprus website for stockists) and know that your hangover, common with cheaper alcohol, won’t be quite so bad! On the subject of hangovers, you might also want to try some milk thistle, a detoxifying, immune-boosting herb well known for its ability to enhance liver function. It’s available as a tincture from most health food shops or from

 2. Buy gifts which give

Try to buy presents that are beneficial and make a positive difference to the lives of the receiver such as bicycles, juicers, blankets and jumpers to encourage them to exercise, be healthy and cut down on their heat use as well as save money. A necessity bearing in mind our astronomical electricity prices! There are many online suppliers of some great, green alternatives and eco gift ideas to make this year a green Christmas. Visit companies like Green eBay () and Natural Collection (www.naturalcollection.com) for a variety of fabulous gift ideas.

3. Look for locally made gifts

Many gifts in today’s marketplace come from halfway around the world, and the impact of transportation contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions and global warming. Local craft fairs and artisan shops are a good source for gifts that come without the added costs of transportation. And gifts made locally often have a story which goes with the gift, since the artisan and the origin of the gift are known. There’s no shortage of craft fairs and small suppliers of hand-made gifts here in Cyprus. Check out the newspapers and facebook for a variety of local events and gift ideas.

4. Give a charity or environmentally friendly gift

Sponsor an animal or give a membership to a charity or environmental organisation for Christmas. We tend not to be big on giving to these kind of causes in Cyprus and it would be good to see a change for the better. Think about whether you or your loved ones need that extra bottle of perfume this Christmas when you could instead make a positive impact on someone’s life. Or consider donating instead to one of my chosen charities, animals. With so many unwanted and abused cats and dogs in the Cyprus sanctuaries and municipal pounds, I would personally rather see 30 euros handed over on my behalf than be the recipient of a concoction of 160 chemicals i.e. a bottle of perfume! There are many kinds of charities from where you could buy a sponsorship gift for a loved one. If you do choose the animal option, Sirius Dog Sanctuary is one of the many shelters desperately in need of funding. Visit their site at ()

5. Use recycled wrapping paper

There’s no point recycling rubbish if you don’t buy recycled products! I’m sure there’s sufficient wrapping paper that ends up in our rubbish bins to wrap up the whole of Cyprus, so try to make sure that you use recycled wrapping paper or gift bags that can be reused.

6. Use recycled Christmas cards or send messages electronically

Numerous Christmas cards are sent each year only for them to be thrown away after Christmas. Try to send recycled Christmas cards or ones made from sustainable sources. You can also make your own, or send texts or e-cards instead. You can also buy recycled Christmas cards from charities and donate up to 20% to less fortunate people at the same time. Just a little thought into the way you convey your Christmas messages to your friends and family can have a more positive impact.

7. Choose a real Christmas tree

Real or artificial? If you’re wondering which is better, the simple answer is that real trees are the more eco friendly choice as they biodegrade. Although artificial trees last for many years they are made from metal and derivatives of PVC, which requires large amounts of energy to make and also creates by-products such as lead which can be harmful to both the environment and human health. The average life of an artificial tree is just 6 years and given that they are not naturally biodegradable they will potentially pollute a landfill site for many years to come. Most artificial trees are made in Taiwan andChina and so have additional energy costs associated with transport. Real trees are carbon neutral, absorbing as much carbon dioxide as they grow as they will emit when burnt or left to decompose. They are a naturally renewable resource and generally feel much nicer in your home. Try to choose a tree with roots so it can be replanted and used again next year or why not start growing your own?

8. Avoid using petroleum-based candles

Paraffin candles are made from petroleum residues so neither do your health or the environment any good. Soy, beeswax or natural vegetable-based candles are better because they biodegrade, are smoke-free, and much more eco friendly. Whether for your own use or for gifts, make a special effort and seek out vegetable-base candles from health shops and organic suppliers rather than big commercial brands which are almost definitely paraffin based. Much better to breathe in naturally scented candles made with essential oils than artificially scented candles with paraffin residues!

9. Be battery-wise

Families can get through a lot of batteries, particularly at Christmas. Discarded batteries are an environmental hazard. Batteries contain toxic chemicals and don’t biodegrade. Instead use rechargeable ones or try . By opening the cap and plugging into a USB connector, you can recharge them pretty much anywhere there’s a USB socket. You’ll never have to search for a charger again.

10. Don’t forget to turn off your appliances & Christmas tree lights

15% of household electricity is wasted by leaving TVs, computers and other appliances on standby bumping up our annual electricity bills by over €50 per year. Make sure you turn things off when you’re not using them. Lighting accounts for around 15% of household electricity, and 100-string Christmas tree lights left on for 10 hours a day over the Christmas period produces enough carbon dioxide to inflate 60 balloons. So make sure you turn them off at night and when you’re out and buy for your house.

To sum up, if you want a green Christmas remember to keep in mind the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Let’s not add to our already over-grown problem of being one of the worst waste-offenders in Europe, so make an extra effort to…

Recycle your unwanted presents
Everyone tends to receive one or more unwanted gifts at Christmas. The best way to recycle any unwanted presents is to give them to charities and hospitals. You can also participate in our Green Christmas Campaign (see our event on ). Alternatively, you could try swapping them for other people’s unwanted gifts! Visit facebook’s Swap Shop for more information. 

Recycle your waste

Remember to recycle your Christmas cards, paper packaging, used cans, plastic and glass bottles. We use dozens of extra bottles and drinks cans over Christmas. Make sure all your empty cans, bottles and jars find their way to your recycling bank or are bagged up for collection by Green Dot.

Recycling an old laptop, phone or kettle takes more effort but is still important. Quantities of e-waste are even greater at Christmas, and with much of this ending up in landfill, we should all be concerned about what happens to the heavy metals used in electronic components once they are buried underground. If you have any e-waste you wish to dispose of, contact WEEE Electrocyclosis Cyprus Ltd (). Alternatively, you can do a good deed and donate your old technology to a charity. You may no longer have use for it but someone else may well do.

Finally, remember that if you do have used non-rechargeable batteries, you can drop them into AFIS Cyprus recycling bins (www.afiscyprus.com.cy) which are located in various locations across Cyprus e.g. supermarkets, banks, etc.

A little thought and preparation can make this year a Green Christmas and a few careful choices can make a big difference. Less sometimes means more and undoubtedly in this case, that holds true. By following these simple guidelines, why don’t you opt for a greener Christmas too?

Green Cyprus will be supporting families in need this Christmas and as part of the Green Cyprus: Green Christmas initiative, we are collecting donations of food and unwanted toys and clothes in good condition for Alkionides Charity. If you are interested in donating please see our event on our facebook page .

We will also be presenting ‘tips for a Greener Christmas’ at Utopia’s Green Christmas event on Wednesday 19^th December at 7pm. We promise an informative and festive evening so please come along and join us! Check the event section on our site for details (greencyprus.net).

If you’re familiar with the Green Cyprus website and have become a friend on Facebook, you’ll be aware that since its inception, the aim has been to pool together all things green, organic and eco-friendly. This puts me in constant touch with new green products and services on the Cyprus market.

Since it has been a while since I last put together a recommendations list, I felt it was time an update was due and so here we are!

The following list has been compiled which highlights my 6 favourite buys for 2012. Some of these have featured on the ‘Green Cyprus Loves…’ section of the website. The items I have listed regularly feature on my shopping list as important must-buys and will continue to do so as I strive to achieve a greener and healthier lifestyle.

1. Coconut Oil. Coconut oil is very versatile with many uses and many health benefits being documented and reports of people improving or even reversing the effects of Alzheimer’s by using coconut oil. There have also been positive results from people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in using coconut oil as well as those suffering from hypothryroidism, as coconut oil helps boost metabolism and raise body temperatures to promote thyroid health. Other healthy benefits of coconut oil include fighting off bacterial infections and viruses. The list goes on and you can read about it in more depth on the website. I am a convert and in my attempt to ditch all dairy products, I regularly buy and use organic coconut oil in cooking and baking – it’s a greener product than most other cooking oils as it can also withstand high temperatures unlike some of its toxin-producing counterparts e.g. corn oil. By my own admission, I make a mean coconut-based flapjack that tastes great and is very healthy! It also makes a great dry hair and skin treatment. Enough said! Biona Organic Coconut Oil, Naturata Kokos and other good brands are generally available from health-shops.

2. Agave Syrup. OK, strictly speaking any kind of sweetener shouldn’t be on this list. Certainly, we are all aware of the dangers posed to our health as a result of too much sugar consumption especially with the soaring rate of type 2 diabetes. To add to that, the Cypriot fondness for all things sweet which features quite heavily in our diets doesn’t help the situation. To make matters even worse, artificial sweeteners like aspartame which is currently hot news in the press once
again as it has been associated with increased risk of blood cancers, are best avoided altogether. That said, it is still difficult to exclude all kinds of sugar from your diet. I make a conscious effort to eliminate as much sugar from my diet as possible as I am all too aware of the health problems that can arise – and let’s face it, it does seem that a high proportion of the population of over 40’s are type 2 diabetes candidates! Needless to say, I never touch artificial sweeteners as I have been suspicious of them for years. So, I now buy Organic Agave Syrup. There are at least 2 good brands on the market; NaturGreen and Bjorg which both retail for around 5 euros. It is quite expensive but it is worth it as it has a low glycemic index and is therefore much better for you. Agave Syrup has a nice subtle sweet taste and is perfect in baking. I haven’t tried it in tea or coffee as I don’t add sweetener to either but I’m sure it tastes fine. Agave is a much healthier and greener choice as it is not a refined product like sugar so it’s
ideal if you require a general purpose sweetener.

3. Planet Washing-Up Liquid with organic chamomile. No I haven’t gone mad – this product smells really divine and makes washing dishes a pleasure! Even if you use a dishwashing machine, it’s always useful to have a bottle of washing-up liquid handy and this brand comes highly recommended! Planet is a leading Greek-based eco-cleaning products company and I have used all their cleaning products which are of good quality, pleasant to use and reasonably priced considering they’re earth-friendly products. The organic chamomile washing-up liquid is tops! Try it and you’ll see.

4. Venus Rose Organic skincare. There are a whole host of great organic, chemical free beauty products on the market and personally, I have used a variety of different organic brands for years as I have wanted to avoid all petrochemicals, parabens and other toxic ingredients included in the larger commercial brands. Not long ago, I visited home-grown company Venus Rose (rose gardens) in Agros (www.venus-rose.com) and purchased their organically certified rose cleaning water and their rose moisturising creams. Now, if I were a famous celebrity and endorsed their products, they would be flying off the shelves as we speak! You never know, the secret may find a way out but follow my advice and try out their products. If you like Dr Hauschka’s light rose cream, you will adore this because it is better. It sinks in without leaving a tell-tale moisturiser shine and gives you a really bright, fresh and smooth complexion.

5.Fluoride-Free Toothpaste. Any dentists reading this blog may disagree but at least from my point of view, toothpaste containing fluoride is a big no no. You can read all the facts about fluoride on our site but in a nutshell, it is a dangerous neurotoxin that can cause cancer and other conditions. I decided a while back not to take any risks and avoid fluoride-based toothpastes at all costs. I now opt instead for Jason’s fluoride and sls free Sea Fresh Toothpaste which does an excellent chemical-free job and is a greener product. I’m not sure I have seen this in Cyprus but Dr Organic which is generally available in Holland & Barrett and pharmacies has a range of fluoride-free toothpastes which are equally good.

6. Green Cookware. Apart from the importance of following a fresh, natural and organic-where-possible diet, I always stress the importance of using eco-friendly, safe cookware. Once again, you can read about the dangers of teflon on the Green Cyprus website. It is much better and healthier to use stainless steel or ceramic type cookware to avoid potentially dangerous chemicals from teflon leaching into your food. I always avoid aluminium foil for cooking but have a roll of Bacofoil’s recycled aluminium foil on standby for other purposes. Both for wrapping food and cooking, it is safer to use chlorine-free, unbleached parchment paper such as the one by If You Care brand which is available from health shops but if you can’t do without cling-film, the COOP brand from E&S hypermarkets offers a PVC-free cling film which is eco-friendlier and a healthier option.

This summarises my main current recommendations for greener products in an attempt to achieve a better and greener standard of living….and whatsmore, these are really good products too. What I find as I discover good green brands is just how much better they are in every way – for you and the environment. My mission to seek out and pass on practical information relating to all things green, organic and eco-friendly continues and I shall be updating again soon.

In the meantime, stay up-to-date by checking out the website and joining us on Facebook. I look forward to seeing you there!

A Green Cyprus friend contacted me recently to complain about the number of plastic bags used by a well known retailer and that they they had written to the management to complain about it. It’s not the first time I have been contacted in connection with this matter; it crops up time and time again and for this reason, I felt it was time we had a say on this issue. 

The over-use of plastic bags by many of the retail establishments in Cyprus is astonishing and I for one, am blown away by the huge numbers that are handed to customers, especially by the supermarkets.

We are all aware of the dangers and health hazards associated with littering the environment and this discussion on plastic bags is, I feel, quite timely with the clean-up campaign approaching on 29^th September.

Having just returned from my holiday in the UK and being lucky enough to have obtained tickets for the London Olympics as well as visiting the Eden Project in Cornwall, I now feel revitalised and all set to resume work. It was a holiday with a touch of green…

The organisers of the London 2012 Olympic games set out to make it the greenest games of modern times. From cutting edge green technology and waste management to sustainable design and transport, the full details are available to read on the following site which illustrates the lengths they went to to ensure the greenest event possible 

From a visitor’s perspective, and having seen the end result of these efforts, I have to say that I was very impressed. The whole set up was amazing, the organisation both outside and within the venues was excellent and it all seemed to flow seemingly without effort. Additionally, the venues were all spotless in every way. Clearly a lot of care had been taken to ensure that every visitor was left with a positive impression of the event. It was great to see countless rubbish bins all within a few metres of reach wherever you were located – not just for general waste but proper recycling bins for plastics and cans too.

At the time of writing the games are still taking place but I believe it has been one of the best games of modern times and the fact that the organisers took the green aspect seriously certainly contributed, in my opinion, to its overall success.

I also spent some time in North Cornwall, a very beautiful part of the UK and stayed in a lovely fishing village called Padstow who some of you may be familiar with, not least because of all the famous Rick Stein eateries! Having sampled one the best cream teas ever and heaps of Roskilly’s organic ice-cream, it was time for something more of an educational nature so I headed off to the Eden Project, a top conservation attraction located close by.

The Eden Project offers a lot more than just a memorable day out in Cornwall. It is also a charity and social enterprise. As well as creating stunning gardens and laying on fantastic arts and music events, they also run transformational social and environmental projects in the UK and around the world. The Eden project also carries out valuable research into plants and conservation andyou can see lots of medicinal plants being grown as well as more exotic plants, trees and flowers within the Rainforest andMediterranean biomes (domes). An enjoyable and eye-opening day out, I found the Eden Project to be a great learning experience for children and adults alike – and it goes without saying that they run their operations in the greenest possible way. The visitor restaurants were also, not surprisingly, excellent with healthy fresh food and salads on offer, much of which was organic or fair trade. And to finish off the visit, there was wonderful souvenir shop selling all kinds of ethical and organic products. Green heaven it was and I was delighted to come home with, amongst other things, handbags and bracelets made from coconuts! Check out the site here  for more information.

As my holiday concluded, I am pleased to say that there were many green aspects to my break and there is definitely a feelgood factor associated with being involved one way or another, whether it’s a visit to a green project like Eden or an organic eaterie as one of my good friends would agree…

Although I have yet to visit Iceland, the greenest country in the world, my friend who is currently holidaying there (the perfect antedote to the Cyprus heat, for sure!) knowing about my passion for all things green and organic, enthusiastically texted me to tell me that she had just been to an organic fish and chip shop that cooked its fish in organic spelt batter. How innovative is that! I guess that gives us a clue as to the country’s green commitment – and my friend was utterly delighted to have foundthe shop with the healthier, greener version of fish n’ chips!

Whether you want to take a full-blown conservation holiday or just visit eco projects like I did, there’s plenty on offer if you look out for them, whatever country you are visiting. For instance, if you are thinking about staying in an organic hotel i.e. eco-hotels offering organic meals worldwide, check out .

I always like to relate what I write about to home because I still feel Cyprus lags behind Europe in terms of greenness and could benefit by doing what some of its European neighbours are doing. While Cyprus is unlikely to host an event the size of the Olympic Games, there are many good examples that could be replicated should we ever be in the position to host a similar kindof international event. We just need to commit more – remember, as I’ve written many times before; it’s important for the economy. Organisers take note!  And how about our own version of the Eden Project? That would be absolutely fantastic for the island….if we could only muster up the commitment to create such a project. Just think of the positive social and economic repercussions….

And so, back to Cyprus, and in particular, back to work on Green Cyprus where I will be continuing my task of providing more green and organic information relating to Cyprus for residents and visitors alike. You can check up on our progress at www.greencyprus.com

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Green Cyprus followers a relaxing summer break and if you are planning to get away, why not inject a little green into your holiday too?

It may seem like I’ve been gone for a while but I am still here and up to my usual daily goings-on at The Yum Company! The only difference is that I’ve been much busier of late and although I would love to say I’ve just returned from a restful and refreshing holiday, unfortunately for me that’s not the case. That’s the trouble with running a business – you sometimes feel that you’re swimming underwater and need to come up for air! And I figured it was about time…

Those of you who follow what I’m up to at The Yum Company may be aware that I’ve also been busy working on Green Cyprus, The Yum Company’s sister site. I wanted to have an outlet for all things green, organic and eco-friendly covering aspects which stretched beyond the boundaries of food, and so setting up a site to cater for the broader audience seemed like a good thing to do. And that’s why I’ve been busier lately – not just preparing meals, but lots of new content for the Green Cyprus site too!

Being a good sister, Green Cyprus also carries news about The Yum Company and vice versa! It’s good to see that many Yum Company followers are now following Green Cyprus too.

Back at The Yum Company, life has as usual been pretty hectic and anyone running their own company will identify with this. As we approach the summer and business tends to slow down here in Cyprus, I am looking forward to finding some time to devote to working on some new aspects of the business including the addition of some new recipes to the range. I’ve had that on my to-do list for ages but there always seems to be many other diversions.

Developing new recipes may seem like an obvious thing to do and you may wonder why it can take so long to implement. The fact is, it’s a costly exercise. Not only do you have the new packaging costs and sourcing of new organic ingredients – but also nutritional analysis and shelf-life testing for each new addition to the range.

Then you have the distribution issue. At the moment, we’re still small and looking for other suitable outlets to place our meals and this takes time as you have to battle through the various organisational layers in the supermarkets! Then there’s all the associated costs with them actually allowing you to place the products on their shelves which can be prohibitive and indeed was for us with one major chain.

Fairly recently, some of you may recall that we were about to launch our new organic houmous. It tastes absolutely delicious and we were flooded with compliments when we sampled it at an event but the supermarket in question would not stock it. They explained their reasons but nevertheless, it was disappointing. However, our houmous is waiting in the wings. We hope that once the business grows, we will find an outlet for that too but as you can see, it’s not an easy road!

Moving onto a different but food-related subject, I would like to remind readers once again about the importance of avoiding chemical toxins in food. On the Green Cyprus site I recently posted an article about the dangers of 10 widely used chemicals and mixtures of chemicals including lead, methylmercury, organochlorine pesticides, endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol-A and phthalates, exhaust fumes, and flame retardants. You can read more about this and their effects on the developing brain on my site but I wanted to re-iterate once again, the importance of eating organic, unadulterated food since, because as we have come to expect, pesticides are once again implicated in this recent study.

The message is clear and as we have access to a fairly good variety of organic foods here in Cyprus we can certainly attempt to eliminate pesticides from our dinner plates. For further information about why you should eat organic, visit The Yum Company’s website 

Back at The Yum Company, as the week’s production schedule draws to a close, (and with Green Cyprus just about up and running) things have now calmed down a little… Finally there’s a chance to come up for some air and take a breather!