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03. 07. 12. - 12:00

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03. 07. 12. - 12:00

Our Ban-Plastic New Life

Michael Leidig

A family have become Green heroes after telling how they switched from loo paper to leaves in a bid to wipe out everything made of plastic from their lives.

Mum Sandra Krautwaschl, 4, says her husband and three children were anything but Green when they started the project as a one month experiment three years ago at family home in Graz, Austria.

"We were on a beach holiday and whenever the kids saw a piece of plastic on the beach they asked where it came from and it made me start thinking," she explained.

Then after seeing the movie 'Plastic Planet' about world waste, physio-therapist Sandra says she was outraged.

"I knew we had to do something," she explained.

So Sandra and her family threw out all their products made of plastic and vowed never to buy anything wrapped in, made of, of trimmed with the stuff again.

Their children even had to take the rough with the smooth when they tried out leaves as a substitute for loo paper, banned because of its plastic wrapping.

"In the end we found recycled paper napkins sold to restaurants that are packaged in paper so everyone was happy," said Sandra.

Now the family's struggles have been recorded in a book - Plastic Free Zone - which details every item the Krautwaschls has to ditch in the cover photo.

"You have to look out for things like wooden handled toothbrushes, metal milk canisters, packaging made of glass or paper instead of plastic.

"People think we must be living in the Stone Age but by just making some small changes we are all definitely healthier and happier. Life is simpler and quieter" said Sandra.

The family still used the off plastic convenience - like phones, computers and cycle safety helmets - but Sandra explained: "It's a compromise. But we're not fundamentalist about it, we're just trying to use as little as we can."

Tragic Ski Girl Dies
A 10-year-old British schoolgirl has died after skiing into a tree at high speed during a family holiday tragedy in the Austrian Alps.

Peak Performance
Police chiefs in Hamburg, Germany, are celebrating after new crime figures showed there wasn't a single bank robbery in the city last year.

Chinese Fakeaway
Chinese property developers who've been thwarted in a bid to buy up an entire Austrian village have settled on the next best thing - an entire life-sized replica.

Austrian children help Romanian kids
A charity project run by the middle school in Hippach has been recognised with an award for its social work by officials in Tyrol.

Mother kills disabled daughter because she couldnt take care of her any longer
A Romanian woman killed her 8 year-old disabled daughter on Wednesday (yesterday)because she couldn't pay for her care, Libertatea newspaper reports.

Policeman accused of sex with the son of his girlfriend
A Policeman from Vulcan, Western Romania is currently being investigated for having sex with a minor, the son of his girlfriend, Cancan newspaper informs today (Thurs).

Serial killer survivor walks away alive after fall
An 85 year-old woman who survived the most cruel and notorious serial killer in Romania some 40 years ago, recently fell from the first floor of her apartment building and she walked away safe and sound, Cancan newspaper reports today (Thurs).

The son of Qatar Airlines BA beaten up in Romania
The son of the Board of Administration of Qatar Airlines Akbar Al Baker, was beaten up over the weekend at the launching party of a posh club in Mamaia, at the Romanian Black Sea shore, Cancan newspaper reports.

Majority starts president’s suspension procedures
A day after the Social Liberal Union (USL) legislators dismissed with a large majority of votes the two Speakers of the Parliament, the Union started today the procedures for the suspension and possible impeachment of President Traian Basescu. This is the second time when the Parliament asks for Basescu’s suspension.

Some 177 Roma repatriated by French authorities to Romania
Some 177 Romanian citizens of Roma origin were repatriated on Tuesday night from Lille, France, Romania TV news channel informs today (Weds).