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Biome Eco Stores
Biome Eco Stores - Making Green Choices Easy
Published: 07/18/2011 by BigGreenWeb.com
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We recently interviewed Tracey Bailey, the founder of Biome Eco Stores, an Australian retailer of safe, reusable and eco friendly products for families about the company, their green values and their vision to help and inspire others to make a difference.
Below are the questions we put to Tracey:
When did you start the business and what inspired you?
After a career in corporate communications and being blessed with two children, we wanted a way to be part of the solution to our planet's future. The world of green was a very foreign place back then when Biome was born. Beginning in 2003 as an online shop, we grew into a physical store in Paddington (Brisbane) in June 2005. We opened our second store in the Brisbane CBD in September 2007.
Who are the people behind your company?
Biome is a passionate family business. We are a small business team juggling children, family, friendship, technology, joys, tears and eco-dilemnas a plenty.
Describe your products and/or services:
The Biome stores are overflowing with learning and products that meet our earth-friendly criteria. We bring you the widest range of pure natural skin care and green cleaning in Australia, plus safe, reusable bottles and many more clever, stylish and practical eco-products. Biome specialises in beautiful Australian hand-made gifts and home accessories, making it easy for you to support Australian small business in these tough times.
What makes your business unique or different?
The Biome concept was inspired by those of us who want to make a difference, but feel the actions we take may have have little impact or simply can not find the choices. We believe that the everyday choices of individuals do have the power to transform our world. By living in harmony with our planet and all who share it, we empower ourselves, enrich our lives and enhance wellbeing.
Expressing your values through your purchasing power will make a difference. By supporting the people making our products, you are helping to make their dreams viable and encourage responsible enterprise.
What makes your business, products and/or services green?
The Biome team has done extensive research to ensure that the choices we offer live up to the eco claims they make. We require full disclosure of ingredients for all products.
How we choose our products:
Your trust in our judgement is vital to the service we provide, so every product is carefully assessed against these criteria.
- grown & manufactured in a sustainable way (sun-grown, renewable, organic)
- contains no petrochemicals, harmful ingredients or non-renewable resources
- recycled or assists recycling
- non-toxic and biodegradable (biodegradable alone is not sufficient)
- saves resources or reduces consumption
- traded fairly and with respect for the producers
- produced without exploitation or harm to people and animals
- longer lasting than the alternative, thus saving resources & pollution
- designed to be recycled or responsibly disposed of at the end of its life
- inspires love for the environment
Organic :: if an organic claim is made, we require proof of certification.
Local :: we prefer local products to save resources in transportation, but sometimes the other benefits outweigh this preference. We hope that bringing these products to the Australian market will encourage such innovation here.
How does your business address the challenge of "going green"?
It's simple... Living more sustainably starts with just a few earth-conscious choices each day. You will be surprised how you gain confidence and the snowball builds momentum.
Here are some easy actions to incorporate into your daily routine:
- We recommend a gradual change like replacing your conventional skin care or cleaning products with a natural alternative each time one runs out.
- Focus on reducing the amount that you send to land-fill - this will guide you in so many facets of your daily life (start composting, choose food with the least packaging, use your recycling bin, and consume less in the first place)
- Use eco gift occasions as a way to show your meaning for the person and planet
- Think about how many products you use that contain plastics and look for ways to reduce your reliance on plastic.
What is the main need that your product/service provides in the marketplace?
Our attractive and easy-to-navigate online shopping site makes Australia’s best eco friendly products, from natural skincare, Natural beauty products, organic skin care, mineral makeup and cosmetics, organic baby wares, hand made fair-trade gifts made from the heart, native food hampers, BPA free reusable water bottles, non-toxic cleaning products, Bokashi compost systems and bed linen, readily available. We are particularly in tune with the wants and needs of everyday households. Everyone wants the lovely smelling, nicely packaged gear, and Biome shows you can have all this in products that are good for us and less impacting on the environment. As they say, it’s the simple, everyday choices that have the power to transform our world.
What is your current biggest environmental concern?
Palm Oil
If you are not aware of the environmental threats due to palm oil, please see our Facts section below. Biome has a commitment to not stock any products containing palm oil or its derivatives. We do still offer some products with palm oil but we are working to remove these or to get our suppliers to substitute. We clearly label the products where we have found palm oil.
Palm Oil Facts (from the Don't Palm Us Off website)
- Over 85% of the world's palm oil comes from Malaysia and Indonesia.
- The most common cause of deforestation and fragmentation in Indonesia is related to palm oil.
- An estimated 40% of food on our supermarket shelves contains palm oil.
- In SE Asia alone, the equivalent of 300 football fields are deforested every hour for palm oil production.
- Palm oil typically costs the lives of up to 50 Orangutans each week.
- Australians unknowingly consume on average 10 kilograms of palm oil each year because we do not currently have the ability to exercise consumer choice.
- Sustainable Palm Oil Plantations are a possibility however you need you to tell FSANZ you want palm oil labeling if they are to become a reality.
- Once palm oil is labelled, consumers can actually drive a market for proper certified sustainable palm oil because they can demand it of manufacturers.
List the 5 main environmental benefits of your products / services:
1. By selling reusable, recycled and biodegradable products we help to reduce landfill.
2. Selling products that are grown organically have a lower impact on the enviroment and our health.
3. By offering Natural pest repellants and non-toxic cleaning products we reduce the chemical impact on our waterways as well as our households and individual health.
4. By offering natural remedies and BPA free products we help our customers to make a healthy choice.
5. By offering products that are certified Sustainable Palm Oil or Palm Oil free we can actually help drive a market for proper certified sustainable palm oil because we demand it of our manufacturers.
How have your products / services actually helped customers? Please give an actual example:
I absolutely love this book. Although I try every day to be a greener citizen this book has enlightened me even further on what I can do to help save the environment. City living is full of traps, so many advertisements to buy buy buy, I don't think I will ever need to buy a notepad again, a watering can or be searching to find paper clips or buttons. It really is the little things we can all do that will make such an enormous difference to everyone's future.
Customer is talking about the book: Save by Shannon Luch and Jennier Flemming
What’s your favorite tip for going green or living sustainably?
We recommend a gradual change - one green step at a time so it's not overwhelming.
Describe your ideal customer:
People who are aware of the impact their buying power has on the enviroment.
Where are your ideal customers located?
Everywhere.
What’s the best way to order products or services from your business?
Through our online store www.biome.com.au or call us on 1 300 301 767
You can also visit our two Eco Friendly Stores in Brisbane:
2 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD 4064
and
215 Adelaide Street, Brisbane CBD 4000
Do you have a company mission / motto / slogan?
“How will you make a difference today?” ™
Briefly describe your company vision:
Expressing our values through our purchasing power will make a difference. By supporting the people making our products, we are helping to make their dreams viable and encourage responsible enterprise.
The Biome concept was inspired by those of us who want to make a difference, but feel the actions we take may have have little impact or simply can not find the choices.
We believe that the everyday choices of individuals do have the power to transform our world. By living in harmony with our planet and all who share it, we empower ourselves, enrich our lives and enhance wellbeing.
What values will your business never compromise on?
We don't simply twist with a turning tide of consumerism, we stick to our criteria of being an eco friendly store selling items that are either recycled, renewable or reusable or can be returned to the Earth. Biome was created to be part of the solution to our fragile eco system and we strive to continue to offer our customers an eco friendly solution.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
Growing our online sales to offer our national customers an enviromentally safe shopping experience.
People love doing business with you because ...
We follow through and provide great eco friendly products that people can trust and depend on.
What gets other people so excited about your products/services that they just have to tell their friends about you?
Our friendly customer service and clear communication.
Do you have a special offer / discount for BigGreenWeb.com visitors?
Buy one Natan Stainless Steel water bottle get the second FREE!
Additional Information / Contact Details
- Business Name: Biome Eco Store
- Contact Names: Tracey Bailey and Shionagh Goold
- Contact Number: 07 3367 3377
- Contact Email: shop@biome.com.au-Business Address: PO Box 1657, Toowong DC 4066
- Your main website address: www.biome.com.au-Twitter - @biomeecostores
- Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/eco.friendly.Biome.stores
- Merchant Circle - http://www.merchantcircle.com.au/business/Biome.Eco.Friendly.Store.300-301-767
Visit their BigGreenWeb.com listing here: Biome Eco Stores
