Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from November 2008

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from November 2008

Offsetting with integrity.(Comment)
November 1, 2008... Going green just got easier. In this issue of CHOICE we are very pleased to introduce you to Australia's first independent ranking of voluntary carbon offset providers. Whether it's air travel, energy bills or paying your car insurance, chances...

Coca-Cola and McDonald's litter found most often: we all know junk food is bad for your health, now a new study proves it's bad for the environment too.(ENVIRONMENT)
November 1, 2008... Branded litter, such as packaging from McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Cadbury and other retailers, accounts for 24% of the overall waste stream, with highways a major dumping ground, according to an Australia-wide study by Keep Australia Beautiful. The...

Uranium and ethical investing: there's a 'crisis of definition' for ethical and sustainable funds.(INVESTMENTS)
November 1, 2008... Many so-called ethical funds are not necessarily ethical in the area of uranium mining, according to a report by the not-for-profit group, Corporate Watch Australia. "Of the 18 ethical investment funds studied, just four have policies that...

Sign up to have your say on GM: The moratorium on growing GM canola crops has lapsed in NSW and Victoria, and loopholes in labelling regulations mean you may soon be eating foods containing GM ingredients without knowing it.(GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD)
November 1, 2008... The genetically modified food debate has been raging for years, but in the past 12 months the NSW and Victorian governments have allowed a moratorium on the growing of commercial GM canola crops to lapse. As a result, the first GM canola crops...

When early means late: paying your credit card early may not protect you from late payment fees.(BANK FEES)
November 1, 2008... The main source of income for Judee and Graeme, from Melbourne (pictured), is a Disability Support Pension paid fortnightly. To make sure everything was in order with their Westpac credit card, they set up a regular transfer of $70 every...

Call to action to reduce plastic bag use: there's still no national action plan, but some states have taken steps to reduce plastic bag use. CHOICE says it's time for a levy on checkout bags.(ENVIRONMENT)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Plastic bags have long been an environmental menace, wasting resources and killing marine life and birds. Although we've reduced our reliance on them recently, we still use four billion each year. At the...

Smartphones attract download debt: new 3G mobiles bring faster web browsing speeds--along with high excess usage fees.(TECHNOLOGY)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New generations of smartphones such as Apple iPhones can lead consumers to download a higher volume of data without realising they're exceeding their phone plan value. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission...

Gene genie or buyer beware? Once the realm of forensic science, medicine and paternity suits, have DNA tests become the latest consumer must-have?(ONLINE DNA TESTING)
November 1, 2008... Want to know your ancestry? Could you pursue a career in sport? Should you start saving for the newborn's private school education or are they smart enough to win a scholarship? A DNA analysis claims to reveal all. These days, you don't...

Organic groceries not just a fad.
November 1, 2008... It's good news that 40% of consumers now buy organic food, according to a Biological Farmers Association report, but for many of us it's still hard to tell what's legitimate. The increased demand illustrates the need for the draft Australian...

Fraud beats theft.
November 1, 2008... In the past 10 years, the number of break-ins and car thefts has decreased. In 1998, more than 130,000 cars were stolen, while only 70,000 were stolen in 2007. This compares with 800,000 people falling victim to fraud in 2007, including credit...

National recycling week.
November 1, 2008... Don't know where to recycle your corks or printer cartridges, tyres or batteries? National Recycling Week from November 10-16 is a good time to brush up on your knowledge. To find out how you can recycle more - and better--in your local area,...

Putting TiVo to the test: a new way to record--with some teething problems.(DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER)
November 1, 2008... TiVo offers a means of recording free-to-air digital TV without you having to learn too much about the inner workings of the machine. The remote control and onscreen menu are both easy to use. However, TiVo's real value lies in its ability to...

It's loppin' time.(CHAINSAW)
November 1, 2008... BLACK & DECKER Alligator Lopper GK-1000XE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Price $148 Weight 3kg Contact Bunnings A chainsaw can be a scary thing in a pair of untrained hands. In a backyard, you're more likely to be adjusting a...

Guilt-free hot chips: can you cook deliciously crispy, golden chips with only a spoonful of oil?(BENCHTOP FRYER)(Tefal ActiFry)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The TEFAL ActiFry cooks food with hot air and minimal oil, claiming to make crunchy fried chips with fewer calories than deep frying. The recipe booklet lists recipes for crunchy stir-fried vegies, nuggets, meat, fish and even fruit desserts....

80cm TVs.(Coming)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When you go shopping for a television you'll hear all sorts of claims about screen resolution. Should you fork out extra money to buy the higher-resolution screen or will the one with fewer pixels give just as good a...

Next G phones.(Coming)(Telstra NextG phone)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Telstra claims its NextG network is superior. So we bought 13 NextG phones and put them through their paces in the bush and the city. Check out our upcoming report to see how well they perform, as well as how durable they are in high...

Small barbecues.(Coming)
November 1, 2008... If you have limited outdoor space and a large barbecue is out of the question, our test of one- and two-burner barbecues will help you find the right one. All eight models on test are meant to suit small spaces but some are better designed than...

How 'green' is your tea?(Emails Letters)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... * The Tefal Quick Cup Kettle (CHOICE, June 2008) claims to save up to 65% of the energy used when making a cup of tea or coffee using a kettle. It sounded like a great way to save on energy, so I purchased one. However, the water doesn't...

Product sustainability.(Emails Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... * CHOICE has done really well by getting involved in environmental issues. I'm very concerned about consumerism driving resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions, while we have to negotiate "greenwash" almost daily. However, while one...

A watertight warranty?(Emails Letters)(Lenovo ThinkPad warraty)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Recently the Olympics drew a huge television audience and one of the advertisements on high rotation was for Lenovo laptops, featuring Libby Trickett beside a swimming pool. In the advertisement, a working laptop...

Kate Ollier bought an electric oven only to discover that she would need an appropriate electrical circuit installed in her house that would cost thousands of dollars.(Thumbs up!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Kate Ollier bought an electric oven only to discover that she would need an appropriate electrical circuit installed in her house that would cost thousands of dollars. Her electrician recommended trying to swap the electric oven for a gas model...

Simon Horne recently bought some tea from the specialist tea shop T2 but wasn't happy with its quality.(Thumbs up!)
November 1, 2008... Simon Horne recently bought some tea from the specialist tea shop T2 but wasn't happy with its quality. Not keen to take it back to the city store, he emailed the company instead. He was delighted to receive a replacement packet of tea, which...

Evelyne Wagnon was petrified that she'd killed off her Toshiba laptop when she accidentally dropped it onto a tiled floor.(Thumbs up!)
November 1, 2008... Evelyne Wagnon was petrified that she'd killed off her Toshiba laptop when she accidentally dropped it onto a tiled floor. When she realised it had survived the fall she wrote to Toshiba to thank them for making such a tough product. Toshiba...

Jeremy Evans gives full marks to Sunbeam, who replaced his electric jug even though it was two-and-a-half years old.(Thumbs up!)
November 1, 2008... Jeremy Evans gives full marks to Sunbeam, who replaced his electric jug even though it was two-and-a-half years old and well past the 12-month warranty period.

Beat the banks.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... * Thank you so very, very much CHOICE for the Fair Go On Fees letter, which my wife and I used successfully this week. We had more than $435 in "dishonour fees" which ANZ conveniently call "honour fees". [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANZ had...

Food of the gods enriches us all: research shows that a little chocolate is good for your heart health, while fair trade and organic chocolate is good for your heart strings as well as your taste buds, according to our expert and lay tasters.(Food: Dark chocolate)(Cover story)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The good news about the health benefits of chocolate keeps piling up, while the range of fair trade and organic chocolates in supermarkets and health food stores is growing exponentially. Chocoholics finally reckon...

Can you save on your home loan? CHOICE shopped around and found home loan savings from $18,000 to $46,000 over the life of the loan for three borrowers. We also found traps you need to look out for when refinancing your home loan.(Money: Refinancing your mortgage)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After the dramatic 1% rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in October, following a 0.25% cut the previous month, home owners have finally begun to see relief from a period of escalating interest rates....

The great dillema: fish is good for our hearts and brains, but what about the toxic chemicals some fish contain? Then there's the question of whether large-scale fishing destroys fish stocks and damages the environment. We guide you through the debates.(Food: Fish)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We know fish is good for us. It's low in saturated fat, high in protein and a good source of iodine. Oily fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is a good source of vitamins A and D. But there are concerns that some...

The upside to downsizing: laptops are a portable and energy-efficient alternative to bulky desktops. We give you a step-by-step guide to buying the right one for your computing needs.(Buying guide: Laptops)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Laptops are light, portable and take up less space than a desktop computer. They use about 20% less energy than desktops and most are fast enough for all but the most demanding applications. The major drawbacks are...

Carbon offset schemes compared: of the multitude of carbon offset retailers and accreditation schemes now on the market how do you know which ones to trust and which ones are just selling hot air?(Environment: Carbon offsets)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Carbon offsets are sold as a way for consumers and businesses to reduce their environmental impact. When you buy an offset, you're paying to support projects that remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide...

Compare the squares: finding a toilet paper that does its job is no simple matter--we ask our dedicated Home Testers to get to the bottom of it.(User Trial: Toilet paper)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Toilet paper is big business, and for a product that fulfils a simple function, the amount of technology and marketing is surprisingly complex. With an annual turnover of $720m and fierce competition between brands,...

A chilly equation: how can you make your refrigerator work for you? Efficiency is the key and we help you unlock the mystery.(Test: Fridges)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We tested 12 new refrigerators and added five to the table of previously tested models (page 42) and seven to the Missing models on page 41. One of them, the ELECTROLUX ESE6077SA side-by-side model, was entered in...

Health on the grill: they're marketed as a healthy way to cook, but do you really need one?(Test: Health grills)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With the recent news that Australia is now one of the world's fattest nations, it's natural that plenty of us are keen to prepare and cook our food in the healthiest way possible. Health grills, which started to...

Seriously, fun photography: when a compact camera just doesn't satisfy, it might be time to think big.(Test: Digital SLR cameras)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Despite their performance limitations, compact cameras have been popular for several years, with many owners now considering their second or third digital camera purchase. However, as you become more familiar with...

For lawn appeal: as the temperature rises, so too does the lawn height. So which mower will not only cut your grass well and be easy to use, but also have the least environmental impact?(Test: Lawnmowers)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's that time of year again. Spring has sprung and those of us with lawns will be thinking about getting the mower out. CHOICE tested 12 petrol lawnmowers, with 11 of them listed in the table, priced from $299 to...

Watering down the heat: in a hot, dry climate, a portable evaporative cooler is an effective way to cool down.(Test: Portable evaporative coolers)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you live in a region where the summers are hot and dry, such as inland Australia, a portable evaporative cooler can be a cheap and effective way to keep you cool over those long sunny days. However, if you live in...

Dodging traffic: some of the latest GPS devices not only get you from A to B. but tell you what to avoid along the way.(Test: Car GPS)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Australia's obsessions with new technology and motoring are making the car GPS a must-have item for drivers, with sales increasing almost threefold over the past year. A car GPS is like an electronic street...

Recalls & bans.(List)
November 1, 2008... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recall information go to the Product Recalls Australia website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Product...

ACMA protects advertisers not children: it's time for tougher restrictions on junk food advertising. CHOICE wants the government to put children's health before industry profits.(JUNK FOOD ADVERTISING)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The draft Children's Television Standards (CTS) released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in August won't protect children from junk food advertising but they will protect the bottom line...

Benchmark needed for 'greenwash' complaints.(GREENWASH)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The advertising industry is pushing for self-regulation to tackle greenwash. The industry wants the Advertising Standards Bureau, the body that dealt with complaints about the "longer lasting sex" billboards, to...

Hard word.
November 1, 2008... The winner of this month's best entry goes to B Hedger, who's still marvelling at the genius behind round egg rings. Thanks also for contributions from D Cronin, J Yang, B Carey, J Connell & J Ellis, T Boland and the unnamed person who sent the...

Test results for 10 cots priced up to $599.
November 1, 2008... The good news is that cots are getting safer. Only two of the 10 cots on test had a safety failure. Compare this to our 2002 test, where only one of nine cots was recommended. The introduction of a mandatory safety standard for cots in 1998 is...