Save our tuna - Greenpeace Canned Tuna Guide

“The biggest selling seafood item in Australia is canned tuna. As supermarkets sell more and more of this profitable product, tuna stocks are in critical condition.”

So says Greenpeace, which recently conducted a survey on commonly available brands of canned tuna. No Australian tuna brand uses sustainable tuna. On a scale 1 - 10, canned tuna was ranked according to the following crteria:

• If the tuna comes from overfished stocks;


• If the tuna comes from illegal vessels or companies;


• If the tuna can is labelled correctly; and


• If the tuna was fished using methods that result in high levels of bycatch.

Even the top brands use destructive fishing methods. Bottom of the list at number 10 is Sirena - you know, the one with the sexy mermaid and bright yellow wrapper. 


Sirena, which promotes itself in full-page advertisements in Delicious magazine, was described by Greenpeace as “an irresponsible company that does not even let consumers know which tuna is in its cans”.

Not only is Sirena the one which uses the least ethical fishing methods, its claim to being the best quality is exaggerated, and seems to rely mostly on its attractive packaging. The brand’s tuna in oil is 74% of the contents with 19.5% sunflower seed oil and only 0.5% extra virgin olive oil.

The Top 4 were :


(1) Greenseas              
(2) Coles            
(3) Aldi            
(4) Woolworths

But food is not just about ethics - do the Top 4 taste good too?

My household tried three of them (I don’t shop at Aldi), and this is what we found. Coles tuna is a product which varies considerably from one can to another. At worst it is reminiscent of cat food brand tuna. Greenseas is 65% by volume of an unnamed species of tuna, with 12% of extra virgin olive oil, 11% sunflower oil and the balance water.

Of the ones we tried, Woolworths was the best tasting of the three, containing 70% yellowfin tuna, with 21% olive oil and the rest water,

Greenpeace made it clear that not even the brands with higher rankings were doing enough to change their fishing practices for the better. The take home message from the Greenpeace survey is to definitely avoid a recalcitrant brand like Sirena. 


If you have to eat canned tuna at all, do so mindfully of the fact that are on the endangered “Seafood Redlist”, which includes Orange Roughy (Deep Sea Perch) and Antarctic Toothfish (Sea Bass), and support the brands that are more transparent and respectful of the consumer’s need to know some facts about the tuna they are buying.

Even better, stop eating canned tuna at all. This is what many people are doing about chicken, pork and eggs - if they can’t buy organic or free range, they stop eating it.

Commoditisation of this increasingly at risk seafood is against the interests of the consumer AND the survival of commercial tuna fishing.

Check out the link to Greenpeace for more details.

http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/issues/overfishing.html

Wet day in Sydney - what to wear

What does one wear on a wet Sydney morning, with no appointments, and a lot of sitting in front of computer? It's stopped raining now, but it was pouring heavily earlier, and will be again later.

1. BOOTS. Preferably leather, rather than suede. Suede can take a light shower, but not puddles. The alternative to boots? - damp ankles, wet hosiery, misery. I am wearing my Tino Lanzi black knee-highs with rubber stud feature.

2. TIGHTS. Brown, matching dress.

3. DRESS. 70's fringed, 7/8ths sleeve dress from Dolly Up Boutique, Cleveland Street, Surry Hills

4. EXTREMELY FABULOUS 80's CARDIGAN. Hand-made, unknown brand from Austria, from Grandma Takes A Trip, Crown Street, Surry Hills. Black wool, with detailed embellishments in brown, shades of caramel, tan and gold lurex. And little hand-made shoulder pads. Don't get me started on lurex, that's a story in itself.

5. HAIR IN HIGH PONY-TAIL. There is no point trying to tame it in this weather. Forget the hot tongs, it will be frizzy the minute I walk out of the door.

6. MAKEUP. Light foundation and under-eye concealer. Moss green YSL liquid eye-liner that is way too wing-tipped for a Monday and black mascara ( Dior's new Extase mascara in intense black) and YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick - in no. 13, an apricot colour which is one of their best-sellers and I know why - it makes even my sallow Greek complexion (aka "olive") look quite warm.

7. JEWELLERY. Fake pearls. The usual rings. Gold leaf ear studs from Rox, Strand Arcade, some time last century

I could discuss any one of these features at great length and with even greater enthusiasm and detail, and I WILL - in forthcoming posts.

Thanks for reading!

Facials - are they worth it?

I was surprised to read recently in the Sydney Magazine that arch-fashionista Belinda Seper, owner of Belinda and The Corner Shop boutiques, has never had a facial that made her feel it was worth investing in.

It’s true, in my opinion, that about 80% of facials are no more effective than what you might achieve yourself by using some good products and a few simple techniques: cleanse, steam, exfoliate, mask.

However, if you are lucky enough to have sussed out one of the 20% of highly skilled and knowledgeable beauticians who offer great facials, you will agree with me that it is certainly worth it.

How do you identify a beautician who really makes it worth spending anywhere between $70 and $150 for a facial?

Beauticians are like many other professionals where experience counts. A young beauty school graduate is unlikely to have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of skin types and skin problems. As the beautician must be trusted to give safe and reliable advice on skin care and products, you need to feel confident that they understand enough about your skin type. Career development for a graduate is to start with nail care, eyebrow shaping and waxing before assuming the role of fully fledged facialist.

An experienced facialist will have observed the trajectory of hundreds of clients over lengthy periods, understanding the ageing process, the challenges of different stages of life and their impact on skin, and the success of products in treating different kinds of skin problems.

Skin problems, tied as they are to people’s genetic inheritance or lifestyle, often persist for long periods. Acne, rosacea, age-pigmentation and other problems can take up to years of treatment. Once you find a trusted facialist, she will take a long-term interest in the treatment outcomes. She will adjust your treatments and products as your skin gradually responds.

Without doubt, the Australian beauty salon industry has long been dominated by Eastern European professionals who brought with them a legendary culture of female grooming and skin care. Names like Madame Korner (Romania) and Ella Bache (Hungary), still dominate the beauty industry scene in Australia.

Helena Rubinstein (Poland) and and Estee Lauder (born in New York of Hungarian and Czech parents, and mentored by her Hungarian biochemist uncle) are even bigger names who internationally commercialised what had been hitherto a cultural norm, that is, the prioritising of skin care by East European women.

Carrying on this tradition of excellence in Surry Hills, Sydney,  is Sylvia, whose eponymous salon in Surry Hills is prominently situated on the corner of Devonshire and Crown Streets. The pink corner shop has been a feature of the local streetscape for close to 30 years.

Trained in Serbia/Yugoslavia as a make-up artist, Sylvia worked in films and TV in her home country before coming to Australia, where she studied beauty therapy. Highly observant, and with a detailed understanding of different skin types, Sylvia offers a range of facials to suit all skin types. 

I recommend the Deluxe facial, which includes cleanse, exfoliate, steam, lymphatic drainage massage, blackhead/whitehead extractions ( if needed), mask and takes around 2 hours. For a booking call  (Sydney) 02 - 9690 1131

What to avoid in a beautician?

Over the years, on the occasions when I have been tempted, or been given a gift voucher or other opportunity to try some new facial, I have often been disappointed, just like Belinda Seper.

Look out for, and avoid beauticians who:

• Rely too much on the promise that a particular product will “cure” your problem
• Push too much product (good products are a plus but good habits are even more important) 
• Don’t do anything  more than what you can do at home
• Are sold on gimmicks

Coming up soon on Glamablog: 

An  interview with Sylvia about skin ageing and how you should change your skin care routine.