If your an avid farmers’ market goer in Melbourne, you will no doubt have come across the gorgous Kitty who is the face behind B-Alternative’s eco-awareness stalls. We caught up with Kitty and had a chat about her passion for sustainability & her workplace.
Who is Kitty Hart? 32, Green thumb, aspiring permie and passionate organic home-grower and eater living in the beautiful suburb of Seaford, Melbourne
Managing an organic grocer last year, I was immersed in a community of responsible gardeners, food providers, naturopaths and permaculture enthusiasts, B-Alternative was a natural progression, considering my ever growing passion for all things planet positive! Meg and Pat from @Artistasfamily are also a huge inspiration!
My best practices for living more sustainably would be buying organic in bulk and shopping at organic local farmers markets. We bring our own bags, cups and bottles everywhere! My partner and I compost and grow our own food. We avoid purchasing items with plastic packaging and reuse everything we can. And if we can’t get it plastic free we make it ourselves.
We grow most of our food in raised earth beds and we are really passionate about cultivating awesome compost! We are very lucky, we have a large section with fruit trees, chickens and a green house.
Growing our own food is the most cost effective, rewarding and responsible way to source our tucka! Closed loop permaculture allows for us to give back while receiving the bounty Mother Nature has to offer. Cooking, eating, preserving and gifting out the food we grow.
We practice basic permaculture principals and companion planting. We encourage bees and have four lovely chickens: Fran, Moe, daffodil and Sister Goldie.
Tell us about your job and what it means to you.
B-Alternative is a local initiative by taking on the world, on step at a time. They approached me at the end of last year and I was more than happy to join this team of inspired, earth loving friends who make things happen!
B-Alternative aims to educate and facilitate conversation around reducing your impact on the planet through responsible practices and circular economy. Working with all ages across numerous platforms, uniting and empowering people to make planet positive choices.
“We are here to help you shift to low impact living on every level – from corporate scale to compost pail!”
B-Alternatives environmental solutions group has three main branches –
- Our Education sector conducts incursions and excursions around Victoria, we also work closely with Polperro Dolphin swims, talking with schools about the effects of single-use plastic on our bodies and our Eco systems – we promote an optimistic outcome with a focus on personal responsibility and empowerment.
- Our Waste Reduction sector sees us working directly with large scale festivals, minimising landfill by managing, sorting and auditing waste at every step. We ensure environmentally sound disposal of all compostable items and have managed to reduce landfill (compared to previous years) of all festivals by minimum 70%.
Our Retail sector provides customers with reusable alternatives to single use plastic. We focus on practical solutions for everyday living and work with various charities to raise money for social and environmental causes though the sale of these items – We have an online store, stalls at numerous farmers markets on the Peninsula and can be found at major events like The Sustainable Living Festival and the up and coming Green Kids Expo and Fair@Square Ethical Lifestyle Festival.
The biggest rewards from working with B-Alternative are that I get to participate in the most amazing school excursions, swimming with the wild dolphins has got to be a highlight but really – seeing the children’s faces light up as they become the next generation of informed and empowered Eco warriors takes the cake every time!
B-Alternative, my partner and I are all actively involved with the local community garden, from building to planting to planning, we are always happy to get our hands dirty!
Do you have any advice for living more sustainably? Shifting to low impact living can seem daunting initially but it is truly the most rewarding, humbling, inspiring thing one can endeavour to do. Stay positive, take it one day at a time and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Find Kitty and B-Alternative on instagram and visit their website or even better head to your local farmers’ market and say hello.
