did you help fulfill a dream this christmas?

We sure wish we had known about the DreamBank. It's the ultimate gift registry where you can give and receive the perfect gift and do good at the same time.

Instead of giving or receiving gifts that, although appreciated, may not really be wanted, you post a dream gift on the site and friends and family contribute to your dream.

It's a win-win as you get what you really want, friends and family can avoid wasted hours shopping, you help spare the planet some of the nasty side effects of manufacturing and packaging unused gifts and your gift automatically generates funds that are given to important social causes.

Check it out at dreambank.org

tea vs. coffee...sand vs. salt

As many of us prepare for - or are already knee-deep - in the first major snowstorm of the season, we rely on snowplows and salt trucks to keep our streets safe. But the debate over the best way to keep roads clear without damaging the environment rages on, just like the Arctic winds.

Since even Vancouverites will need some help this winter, Business Week has a good report on the pros and cons of salt and sand. In essence, this answer is this: neither one is a perfect solution.

Sand requires repeated application and extensive cleanup. Salt can hurt the environment by ending up in streams and rivers, killing fish and plants.

Salt is twice as expensive as sand, but sand needs to be plowed up immediately after a storm and can plug storm drains. Sand also creates particulates and dust, which can cause air-quality problems.

But salt is corrosive and damages trees and cars (not to mention my faux-leather boots), and can pollute groundwater.

The article notes that here in Canada, there was a huge public outcry in 2001 over how salt was affecting the environment, particularly the water supply. Our environment agency even considered listing road salt as a toxic substance.

Toronto devised a way to reduce the use of salt by pre-wetting it before applying it to roads, a process that melts ice and snow much faster, and the results have been dramatic: the city decreased its annual salt usage by almost 37,000 tons.

Like everything we do, there are ways to improve, and science to help us along. In the meantime, you can personally take steps to reduce salt AND sand use at home, and use alternatives like EcoTraction to melt snow and ice.

thaw thighs the green way

Great tip of the day from our friends over at ideal bite on thawing food.

The Bite
Make no boneless legs about it, next time you thaw something from the freezer, stick it in the fridge the night before. Or, if you're crunched for time, immerse it in water or zap it in the microwave - either way, you'll cut(let) H2O waste from running them under the tap.

The Benefits
-(Drum)sticking it to water waste. Regular faucets use 3-5 gallons per minute, so thawing out that chicken breast can drain a tank fast.
-More money for giblets. You can save about $25 per year on your water bill by adopting this tip.
-Getting a leg up on energy waste. If you normally run your frozen foods under hot water, you'll save a little power and money on water heating by sticking them in the fridge or immersing them in H2O instead.

Wanna Try?
Three options: 1) Stick food in the fridge the night before (sometimes longer for meat - about a day for every 5 pounds); 2) immerse it in water (in the sink or a bowl) for about an hour; or 3) get acquainted with the defrost feature on your microwave.

new brunswickers LED-ing by example

Almost 50 New Brunswick communities enthusiastically signed up for discounted seasonal LEDs through Lights Across the Province / La Province s'illumine.

1,989 strings of LEDs (69,615 individual lights) were distributed by The New Brunswick Provincial Capital Commission and its partners The Home Depot, Credit Unions of New Brunswick, the Caisses populaires acadiennes, NB Power (who handed them out), and Rogers Communications.

The commission's goal was both beautification and energy conservation.

Peter Corbyn of GreenNexxus calculates the total green house gas emission savings at about 19 tonnes, or the weight of 12 cars. Incredibly, the total energy cost will be approximately $49.60, instead of $5,300 for lighting incandescents.

Read more about the project here.

toronto to recycle plastic bags and polystyrene

Happily, the City of Toronto has added certain kinds of plastic bags and Styrofoam containers that it had always rejected before; the new additions can go to the curb beginning next Tuesday.

Plastic retail and grocery bags can go in, same goes for the hard, white foam packaging, cups, takeout containers, and egg cartons.

But packing peanuts, and anything made from hard plastic, like plates, glass, cutlery, clear egg cartons, plastic models and CD and DVD cases cannot.

Confused? You can find the new rules at www.toronto.ca

the $4 trillion question

Today in Metro, David Suzuki and Dr. Faisal Moola explain why the money being handed out to failing companies should be put toward saving the planet instead.

Just think what you could do with $4.1 trillion!

That’s how much the U.S. and 17 Western European countries are spending to bail out financial institutions involved in an economic crisis that began in the U.S. and soon reverberated around the world. (The final amount will likely be a lot more. It’s difficult to fathom such a large number, but consider that one trillion seconds is about 32,000 years!) To top it off, most of the details are secret; we don’t really know what the money is being used for — although it probably hasn’t stopped your retirement savings funds from plummeting.

The effect on people in developing nations is even worse. Most of them didn’t have savings to begin with, and now the economic crisis, coupled with the effects of the climate crisis — including drought and food shortages — is causing more of our human family to suffer from extreme poverty and joblessness.

Read more...

give a goat this year

We have a little contest running round here whereby each time someone says the word "christmas" they put $1 in a pot.

So far, we've said it enough to buy a goat from Oxfam, which will be purchased in the region where it is needed. Talk about a real gift this Chr...er, yuletide. We're saving for a donkey ;)

smart cookies say, why buy new?

When you can barter, trade or get it free! Smart Cookies - a group of women who formed a money group and now have a show on the W Network - offer up fabulous ways to live without sacrifice in today's Metro.

Tips on bartering your skills and scouring craiglists for swaps are in here, so practice the three Rs and read on...

a green Christmas after all

The Daily Green offers a comprehensive Holiday Gift Guide full of fantastic ideas for those looking to buy green gifts.

I'm partial to the Gifts Under $20 section, myself! There are some really nifty ideas to be found for inexpensive yet environmentally-friendly gifts.

Alternatively, for those not looking to buy tangible gifts, a day at the spa, theatre tickets, a volunteering-vacation and planting a tree are just some of the ways that a gift can be given without actually giving 'stuff'.

Happy shopping!

the paper cup, evolved....

Brandimage, a very cool multi-national design agency, has created this brilliant alternative to the plastic water bottle. The Eco-Friendly 360 Paper Bottle. While still a concept (which features enviro-friendly staking and shipping packaging) is made from 100% recyclable, food-safe paper.

Hopefully we'll see something like this on store shelves soon.

Green.tv

Green.tv is an iTV channel on out of the UK broadcasting VoD content on topics unclsuing air, land, water, climate change, people, technologies, and species. Content is mainly in the form of short frontline-style documentaries running from 1 to 5 minutes. The information is top-notch and covers the gamut around the globe. http://www.green.tv/

Feeling Used?

I came across this site looking for green toys (Christmas is coming, after all). Usedtoronto.com is part of UsedEverywhere.com, which looks to me to be a company based in Victoria, British Columbia.

It's a great idea, and there is a fair amount of listings... So, if you have some used stuff you're looking to unload, add usedtoronto.com to your list of classified resources.

UsedToronto.com

It's about time

We plug a bunch of stuff (television, gaming consoles, etc.) into a powerbar that gets shut off when we're not in the house. Why waste energy keeping a few blue and red lights on during the day? Well, finally someone has come up with the "why didn't I think of that" extension of the idea. The eight outlet powerbar with timer. Program the thing, and on and off it goes, saving energy for you while you're out working to make the money to pay the bills. BC Hydro is offering a $5 mail-in-rebate on the product to encourage consumers to make the switch.

Apparently Canadian Tire is selling them, but I can't seem to find it on their site.....

one of a kind fun

The One of a Kind Show and Sale has become a yearly pilgrimage in my family…one that we all thoroughly look forward to and for so many reasons.

The Show offers up fantastic alternatives to shopping in big box stores and buying mass-produced merchandise. It also provides the opportunity to buy local and unique gifts all while supporting our Canadian artisans.

The 2008 Christmas show in Toronto will have twice the square footage in the Green section compared to last year. This is clearly in keeping with the growing trend of consumer awareness about sustainability and the environment.

The show runs in:

Toronto from November 27th til December 7th at the Direct Energy Centre and

Vancouver from November 20th til 23rd at BC Place Stadium.

Ready...set...shop!

power hog HDTV

Even if you obsess about turning off the lights and own a fuel efficient hybrid, you may be surprised to learn that your shiny new HDTV uses more electricity than your old one, thanks to the sizable increase in screen pixels.

Luckily, the folks at CNET created this handy chart that compares power consumption between 128 HD televisions.

They also have some excellent power-saving tips, such as turning down the LCD's backlight, controlling room lighting, and the most obvious - watching less TV.

the quest for a reusable coffee sleeve

I admit, I don't always bring my own cup for java. I know, I know. But after I wash it, sometimes I simply forget to slip it back into my purse. So while I'm feeling guilty about the disposible cups, I figure I can at least keep a reusable coffee sleeve around.

And so began my quest. I've seen custom embroidered sleeves, thermal couture sleeves, and my personal favourite: an elegant earth-toned cuff from Vancouver-based Bentwood that you can wear and then slip around your to-go cup. It's georgeous AND made from reclaimed architectural veneer offcuts, so no trees are being felled.

But at $68 CAD, the price tag is a little too steep for me. So I'll keep looking. Then next on the list? Chopsticks! From PlanetGreen: "According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, roughly 63 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are churned out each year in China alone; the vast majority of those have a one-way ticket for the trash can."

nalgene goes BPA-free

Nalgene yesterday announced its partnership with Guyot Designs to launch its first ever non-plastic product line of stainless steel bottles.

The new bottles carry 100 pounds of verified green house gas emissions reductions-enough to offset the negative impact of their production, making them not just carbon neutral, but carbon negative.

With heightened concerns about the materials used in the linings of aluminum bottles, Nalgene's new stainless steel bottles are 100% BPA-free and are made of 100%surgical grade 316 stainless steel with no lining or coating of any type.

The bottles will be available in Backpacker (shown) and Standard models at Nalgene-Outdoor.com starting January 1, 2009.

whole life expo this weekend in toronto

On November 14, 15 and 16, Whole Life Expo is back at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with 200 exhibitors and 60 speakers showcasing the best of natural health and green living.

Exhibitors include superfoods, organic products, natural approaches to anti-aging, and holistic treatments - from shiatsu to craniosacral therapy to spiritual healing. And don't miss the Whole Foods and Organic Market!

Friday 4 - 9pm, Saturday 11am - 8pm, Sunday 10 am - 6pm
Admission $8 (3-day Exhibit Pass), $15 (3-day Lecture/Exhibit Pass)

Visit wholelifecanada.com

put Quebec on your plate

The Ministère de l'Agriculture/des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec has launched a bilingual ad campaign to encourage consumption of local foods.

The TV spot features an animated map of Quebec showing where different products such as lobster, lamb, cheese and wine come from as a voiceover informs viewers that "Quebec is teeming with delicious food proudly grown or processed here. Ask for them. Taste them."

The spot ends with the voiceover and tag line, "Mettez le Québec dans votre assiette," (Put Quebec on your plate) which appears under a dinner plate featuring a provincial map.

Read more at Marketing Magazine>>

the amazing dryer ball

Cleverly rebranded with a throwback package to match, the Amazing Dryer Balls of TV infomercial fame are now Nellie's Dryerballs.

Made by a North Vancouver company - Batten Industries - and priced at around $20, the dryer balls soften and separate clothes to reduce drying time, and unlike traditional fabric softeners, the balls don't leave a petroleum-based coating on clothes.

Nellie's also sells laundry soda, touted as a biodegradable, non-toxic, hypoallergenic alternative to regular laundry detergent.

We're ordering some today and will let you know how amazing these balls actually turn out to be ;)

bio-plates still trash, in the trash

Have you switched to biodegradable options for disposable plate ware and utensils? Great move, but make sure your composting them at the end - most stuff doesn't decompose easily in landfills.

Why not? And how long is trash, trash anyway? Get answers to these questions and more at our new favourite site Ideal Bite

end the greenwashing

From the publishers of PR News, the "Going Green" guidebook includes strategies for greening your business. The 200+ page book includes profiles of blue chip companies, small organizations, and start–ups that have reconfigured their businesses to be more eco-responsible.

Written for marketing and senior execs looking for a blueprint to communicate existing green efforts or to get new initiatives off the ground, companies profiled include GE, Nickelodeon, HP, BASF, Travelocity, Dow Chemical, and National Geographic.

Order at prnewsonline.com

more products we love

These diapers put waste where it belongs - in the toilet and not the landfill.

gDiapers contain no latex, elemental chlorine, plastic, or perfumes, and the pants are made of cotton and spandex, which are breathable and comfortable for your little one.

Each pair comes with two snap-in liners, which are easily washable and made out of viscose rayon, a natural and renewable polymer that comes from trees.

The diapers themselves are made from a biodegradable fiber (fluffed wood pulp) to absorb wetness and keep those little bums dry. And flushable means an end to smelly diaper pails!

Available from Grassroots

bye bye polystyrene recycling, hello EPIC

Yesterday, the Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC) reported that the City of Toronto has backed off its promise to collect polystyrene in blue bins, which could "effectively destroy the program for all of Ontario."

Polystyrene - which makes up the bulk of our food and protective packaging - can be remanufactured into products like picture frames as well as fire-proofing materials, and EPIC says 20,000 tonnes of the material will now end up in landfills.

EPIC's news release does not cover the reasons why Toronto is re-thinking the program...but then the agency is simply an arm of the plastics industry.

They even have a "Polystyrene Myths and Facts" PDF available on their site, with tidbits like:

Myth: Polystyrene does not biodegrade.

Fact: Polystyrene has been designed specifically to be an inert material that does not break down in a landfill and release harmful substances, such as greenhouse gases.

Sorry, then how it that a myth?

So, while it would be fabulous to be able to recycle our current heap of packaging, shouldn't EPIC be looking at ways to reduce and/or eliminate it? But that would put an end to their council...

a community effort

CBC has partnered with Cisco Systems and has launched a new campaign aimed at bringing Canadians together in the fight against climate change - One Million Acts of Green (OMAoG).

"One Million Acts of Green is a unique opportunity to demonstrate how technology can enable people to make powerful connections and effect change" said Nitin Kawale, president of Cisco Canada. "Cisco technology forms the foundation of the Internet and the Internet isn’t a network of computers, it’s a network of people"

An act can encompass everyday habits such as buying locally grown produce, using stainless steel water bottles and reusable shopping bags to larger-scale projects like installing storm windows, solar power cells or participating in community 'green' challenges.

Users on the OMAoG site are able to create a profile, add each act of green that has been or will be accomplished and monitor just how many greenhouse gases have been saved.

Loving it!

Full story here

boo! spooky green fun this october 31st

Finally! Some excellent tips from the Daily Green to ensure your Halloween fun doesn't result in a bag full of trash. (Well, unless your kids are going to be trick or treating - not everyone is as eco-minded ;)

1. Reuse Costumes
Tap into the treasures hidden in your closet or attic to pull together a fun, no-cost costume (it won’t take any longer than going to the mall, and will be a lot cheaper). Trade costumes with friends and family if you don’t want to wear last year’s get-up. Shop for accessories at yard sales or resale stores. Use your imagination but don’t obsess. The point is to have fun, not be fashionable!

2. Trick and Treat
In lieu of junk food, hand out pencils made from recycled paper, erasers, nickels or dimes – be creative!. My husband used to live in the same neighborhood as baseball legend Casey Stengel – he gave out silver dollars. My neighbor started doling out small cups of apple cider when she realized how much kids love a drink of something when they’re running around like banshees. NatureMoms offers lots of great links to organic lollipops and other fun and healthy treats.

3. Reverse Trick and Treat
Global Exchange is encouraging kids to help educate adults about Fair Trade cocoa by handing Fair Trade chocolates back as they trick or treat. The chocolates are attached to a card explaining why Fair Trade offers an alternative to child labor, low wages for farmers and a healthier environment. Order by October 13.

4. Have a Party
If you opt to celebrate at home in lieu of trick or treating, put out bowls of snacks rather than serve up individual throwaway treat bags. Offer pop corn, hummus and pita chips, carrots and dips, fresh apple cider, bat-shaped cookies and muffins. Kids will enjoy painting pumpkins, decorating cupcakes, reading scary stories, bobbing for apples, and going on “flashlight hunts” in the yard (if the party’s after dark) for hidden Halloween surprises. Send electronic invitations to avoid wasting paper and postage.

5. Decorate with Nature
A trip to your yard or the farmers market will provide everything you need to dress up your house for Halloween: leaves and branches, hay bales, gourds, pumpkins, mums, dried flowers.

6. Light up the Night
If you string lights (especially to keep walkways safe for kids), use strands of LEDs like these fun spider lights. They use much less energy than conventional holiday twinklers. Illuminate carved pumpkins with candles from beeswax or soy. Decorate windows and glass door panes with these beautiful non-toxic window paints from Hearthsong. If kids need flashlights to get around in the dark, try the BOGO light recharged with solar energy.

7. Turn It Over to the Kids
Forget the store-bought hanging witches and skeletons. Have your kids make hand print spiders for the walls and windows. Upcycle egg cartons into bats. Carve and paint pumpkins.

8. Try a New Bag
The best option for candy collectors is last year’s bag; a pillowcase; or a reusable shopping bag with handles. But if you need something new, try the reusable Chico Halloween Bag. Kids will love its spooky design. You’ll love that it only costs $5.

9. Save for Next Year
When Halloween is over, pack up costumes, treat bags, lights, and decorations in one big box or bag. Store everything in an easy-to-find place so next year, you don’t have to start completely from scratch.

10. Get Even More Ideas
Between Green Halloween and the Green Moms Carnival, you’ll find everything you need to know to make your spooky night as eco as possible.

Source: The Daily Green

an end to junk mail for your ears

The CRTC's Do Not Call Registry went live yesterday at 12:01 am.

So many Canadians want off telemarketing lists that 223,000 people had registered for the service by 1:30 pm, and more than one million people tried to access a telephone hotline to register.

"We are victims of our own success," said CRTC spokesperson Denis Carmel. "At one point, 18,000 tried to get through at the same moment. If you would have told me these numbers yesterday, I would have laughed."

The Do Not Call list will prevent telemarketers from calling people who are on the registry. It won't, however, block pollsters or charities.

To sign up for the service, visit the CRTC.

a greener autumn

If you live in Ontario, you likely woke up to a gray sky, rain and fog. Fall has arrived!

On a cheerier note, the season brings us many opportunies to help mother nature along. Our top ten tips for a green and cozy fall:

-clear the clutter inside (donate clothes and books, freecycle the rest)
-enjoy local fall produce (think yellow and orange!)
-add some warm, organic cotton towels to the bathroom
-get your heating system checked
-clean the chimneys and fireplace
-recycle all your old newspapers and magazines
-clean out and check your car, including tire pressure for fuel efficiency
-replace bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs
-for leaves, swap plastic bags for biodegradable ones
-or, opt for no bag at all, and start a compost to create a healthy mulch for Spring

an injection of green

On display at the recent IIDEX/NeoCon Canada expo and conference in Toronto was a 37-square-metre patient room - built using eco-friendly materials.

Brainchild of U.S. architectural firm Anshen and Allen, the goal for the 'Green Patient Room' was to create a space that would have a minimum of impact on the natural environment, whilst fulfilling a patient's need for a safe and comfortable environment.

Though I suspect generating less waste is the last thing one is thinking about while lying in a hospital bed, it surprised me that no one has gone here before - it's genius.

So what's green about this room?

-products comprised of recycled materials, including the porcelain flooring in the bathroom, the polyester chair and ottoman, and paper items

-energy-efficient LED lighting and faucets geared toward promoting water conservation

-modular cabinets, composed of standard units that are easily put together and rearranged, allowing for cleaner installation and less scrap

The space even incorporates a zone for families, designed to encourage frequent and longer visits, including a sofa bed made of lumber from responsibly managed forests and without chlorofluorocarbons.

While the room at the expo wasn't designed as a prototype, the architects wanted the space to be one individuals could use to visualize greening their own health-care facilities...a positive step toward healing patients AND the environment.

Source: Globe and Mail>>

farmer's market fresh

Buying local in Ontario just got easier.

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation unveiled a new website yesterday aimed at providing some direction for those looking to buy local in Ontario.

Greenbeltfresh.ca will help Ontarians find local farmer's markets by simply entering a postal code. The site has a wealth of information including seasonal foods, recipes and a listing of local food restaurants.

This is such great news!

Greenbelt

ethics just as important as the earth

A new survey by The Body Shop indicates that in spite of the economic climate, ethics are as important as price with today's consumers. I'd have to disagree, given the cars I see streaming out of Walmart every weekend, but I digress...

In Canada the findings revealed that 77% of consumers are making more purchasing choices based on the corporate behaviour and ethics of a company than they were five years ago, and 40% of those polled say that they make those decisions on a weekly basis.

However, 35% said price and value is their criteria for purchase -- aha, the Walmart shoppers!

Shelley Simmons, Director of Brand & Values Initiatives for The Body Shop: "A growing number of people are demanding more from the businesses that produce and sell the goods they buy. Not only do they feel they have the right to a high quality product, they want to know that the company they buy from is transparent and honest about how those goods reach the shelves."

"They want the story behind the product that assures them that the company has treated its suppliers fairly and that it has done its best to take into account its impact on the environment; and that perhaps someone has actually benefited from the manufacture of that product."

"The retail world is going to have to take notice of this powerful group of consumers. If they respond to the expectations of the eco-shopper everyone will benefit: Customers, suppliers, the planet and the businesses themselves. It is a win-win for everyone."

We can only hope the yellow roll-back guy doesn't get to them first.

B is for biking to school

Great article from Vivian Song of Sun Media on the ABCs of going back to school in a green way.

A new school year means a fresh new start that can include greening your kids' daily curriculum. Here are the ABCs for parents, students and teachers on how to become eco-friendly.

A is for apple.

Canada exports approximately 50,000 tonnes of fresh apples annually, mostly to the U.S. About 62 per cent of Canadian exports are from BC, while 26 per cent originate from Ontario. Meanwhile, Canada imports apples year-round from the U.S. Chile, South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina.

Folly? Yes. So send a message to apple farmers, and shine a locally-grown apple for your favourite teacher.

V is for Vintage and Q is for questioning claims that could be greenwashing - we love it. Full article here

food for thought

The recent outbreak of listeria in processed foods has many thinking plenty about just where our food comes from.

I read an interesting editorial today about this very thing:

Michael Den Tandt wrote "Increasingly, Canadians are hyperaware of what they eat. This is partly a result of higher food prices. It's partly due to the childhood obesity epidemic. And it's partly due to greater concern about health, driven by baby boomers who are trying to extend their active life spans.

Mainly though, the trend is driven by the Green movement. Concern about food quality and safety is a sibling of the fight against climate change."

I don't think I'm alone in thinking that it's unbelievable that Maple Leaf Foods has over 2oo products on recall. I mean...200? It just boggles the mind that there were that many in the first place.

Full story here

100 Mile Diet

school! it's coming! get your supplies!

Retailers have been telling us to hurry up and get our back-to-school supplies since school let out, but now we really are getting close.

Happily, 85 per cent of Canadian parents will consider buying environmentally friendly products while back-to-school shopping for their school-age children*.

Here's our list of cool things we'd fill our hemp backpacks with:

• recycled binder
  
• solar calculator
  
• recycled exercise books (manufactured in Canada!)
  
• unbleached cotton pencil case
  
• recycled copy paper
  
• gen pens made from cell phones and headlights
  

*According to a July 2008 STAPLES Business Depot survey. STAPLES offers more than 2,000 eco-friendly items at their locations across Canada, and online.

slow but sure

Sailing the high seas with cargo is becoming an attractive alternative to traditional container ships nowadays, given the high cost of fuel.

It's estimated that the carbon emissions are just one-seventh when compared to a typical container ship. Diesel fuel is still required for the tricky maneuvering in ports and generators are used for the navigational equipment on board.

The Kathleen and May (pictured above) is just one really cool example of this new trend...'the slow movement.' She recently transported her precious cargo of 21,000 bottles of wine from Languedoc to Dublin.

Whether it be in response to fuel prices or the real desire to cut back on carbon emissions, this slow movement is sure to pick up speed (no pun intended!).

Full story: Treehugger

stoop and bio-scoop

I'm fortunate enough to be dogsitting a friend's adorable Yorkie, and while his poop is small, I felt terrible yesterday as I only had a regular plastic grocery bag kicking around.

A quick stop by the pet store and I scored some compostable dog waste bags from Biobag.

The bags do not contain any polyethylene-based ingredients, so they are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable.

These babies decompose within 40 days in a well-functioning composting environment, so they're a great alternative to normal plastic bags that take more than 100 years to decompose.

simple we are not

There was a time, not so long ago, when being 'green' went by another, not so sexy word - frugal. Years ago I happily discovered the simplicity movement. Books like 'The Simple Living Guide' and 'Your Money or Your Life' made me consider spending and consuming in an entirely new way.

It made sense that scaling down and buying less meant I could work less, have more free time, and worry less about the things I had to insure and clean and use. Unfortunately, the concept of reducing and reusing (i.e. being frugal) didn't catch on in the real world - maybe people were afraid of being called cheap.

Fast forward a few years and being 'eco-friendly' is all the rage. But it's not frugal, nor is it simple.

Take the urban mom I saw today: burlap-bag-with-clever-eco-slogan slung over her shoulder, inquiring as to the distance the overpriced cheese before her travelled, while her child sat in a ridiculously oversized made-in-China branded stroller sucking on the straw of a non-recyclable juice box.

Ironic, no?

The point is, we can't buy our way to a better planet. It's not sexy, but having less and using less is the only way to go. Spread the word people.

carbon neutral music

From our friends at the daily green, here's today's 'one thing' - see a show by a musician that's going green.

If you enjoy live music, think of the substantial footprint - staging, signage, costumes, tour buses, and lights, not to mention the pounds of food wrappers, cans and other garbage left behind at the venue.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke has been taking the issue of global warming to the fans, while Coldplay innovated by making their CDs carbon neutral. Scottish sensation KT Tunstall tours in buses fueled with biodiesel...read on

Support homegrown talent too, like the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah Harmer. (Jack Johnson is American, but pictured for his green efforts and good looks ;)

win a Toyota Prius!

Cascades - makers of recycled bathroom tissue and paper towels - is giving away ten Toyota Prius Cars in their Shift to Green contest.

Visit the simplegreenaction.ca website and select the “Shift to Green” Contest icon or enter here. Contest ends August 29, 2008.

And while you're there, check out their helpful Eco Tips blog.

do you shop green?

If you're like many Canadians, you want to - but probably don't believe claims for "green products" are anything more than marketing hooey.

This is according to a survey released yesterday (based on interviews with 1,500 Canadians) by advertising agency Bensimon Byrne.

It found - green businesses, pay close attention! - that while "cost was the main barrier to adapting more environmentally friendly practices, two-thirds of respondents don't believe it costs any more to produce such products".

"Eco-friendly and terms like that are not defined in a way that consumers can apply a definition across the board," said Bruce Cran, president of the Consumers' Association of Canada. Companies are "producing these claims without there being any standard that consumers can rely on."

This is where our government needs to step in, and create strict guidelines similar to those established for the organics industry.

Also worth noting: the survey found that women are more likely to consider environmental impact when making purchases than men, and recycling was tagged as the No. 1 action Canadians believe they can take to help the environment

Source: CanWest/Windsor Star

reusable coffee cup sleeves

Mississauga resident Pauline Love grew weary of the sheer amount of waste produced by coffee sleeves alone and decided to do something about it.

Hence, Cupcoat Expressions was born and has blossomed from what once was a part-time gig to having its own manufacturing factory in Toronto.

Jute, cotton, hemp and bamboo are some examples of the types of recycled materials that are used in the creation of the Cupcoat and are available in many colours and patterns, destined to suit every coffee or hot drink lover.

And here's what's best of all - "Just one Cupcoat can help divert three to five pounds of garbage from landfills per person,” Love said. “With hundreds of millions of beverages sold each month the waste adds up."

Cupcoats are sold at various coffee shops and throughout North America.

Mississauga News

tougher 'product of canada' regulations

Back in May, Prime Minister Steven Harper announced upcoming changes to Canada's food labelling regulations. Finally, just this week, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced that the new changes will take effect December 31st.

The new guidelines will affect two areas:

Product of Canada will be required to have all contents and production/processing in Canada.

Made in Canada with imported ingredients where processing is done in Canada, but ingredients are sourced from other countries.

Historically, producers have been able to label an item 'Product of Canada' if 51% of the cost of production was incurred in Canada.

"Canadian farmers and processors produce some of the best food in the world and government's new Product of Canada labels will make sure Canadian families have the information they need to find those foods," said Ritz.

As a consumer who is tries to buy local or at least Canadian whenever I can, this is just plain good news!

Read more here

CBC Marketplace

end junk mail

The Canadian Marketing Association's 800 corporate members - including Aeroplan, Sears, TD Bank, Reader's Digest, The Shopping Channel, Bell Canada and eBay - use a variety of ways to sell to you, such as the uber-popular addressed mail.

The CMA offers a "Do Not Contact" service to keep these companies legit, and if you get a lot of junk mail and/or faxes, you can register for free to have your name removed from new contact lists held by their members.

*Note: The National Do Not Call List operated by Bell Canada under contract to the federal government is expected to be up and running in the fall of 2008. At that time, you should register your telephone number with this CMA program as well.

pledging for change

Concerns over global warming and climate change sparked Vancouver-based design studio smashLAB to endeavour to become more sustainable. These efforts were challenging, thus Design Can Change was born...a global community that shares information within the graphics design industry about how to lessen impacts on the planet.

Those in the industry who are interested can take the Design Can Change pledge towards committing to more sustainable practices.

Reviewing the types of marketing materials used is just one of ways in which a sustainable practice can be achieved. Going from cumbersome binders filled with material to smaller-scale pamphlets is one example.

Potential buyers of creative services who are looking for a designer or studio that shares common values can also check out this site for a listing of those who have already taken the pledge.

the way of the future ?

As I write this, work is underway in my neighbourhood to prepare a house for demolition. A house that is in great condition, with mature trees and, before it sold, pretty landscaping. Unfortunately, a developer bought the house and deemed it way to small for today's family and, of course, (note: extreme sarcasm!) it has to be torn down. It will be replaced by a very large house that will stick out like a sort thumb and will not be in keeping with the neighbourhood, which is largely comprised of wartime homes.

It's likely that many of the useable parts (building materials, light fixtures, doors, windows...) of this house will be tossed in the trash, simply because sorting costs time and money.

And, sadly, this appears to be the trend. A throw-away society, on a much larger scale.

competition watchdog tests green marketing claims

Canada's Competition Bureau has issued new guidelines that will push companies touting their products as being eco-friendly to back up their claims, and prohibit the use of vague claims suggesting the product may help improve the environment.

"Businesses should not make environmental claims unless they can back them up. In the end, this will benefit legitimate businesses and consumers by bringing greater accuracy in advertising to the marketplace," competition commissioner Sheridan Scott said in a release.

The bureau said companies will be given one year to reassess and change their product packaging to conform with the standards. Failure to meet the government requirements on labelling products could result in criminal or civil charges, as well as product seizure.

Last November, TerraChoice Environmental Marketing conducted a survey of 1,018 products and found that all but one made exaggerated environmental claims. Read the full report - Six Sins of Greenwashing.

Source: CBC

changing a way of life

Reading the Wednesday edition of the Mississauga News brought forth a really smart letter to the editor submitted by a reader after a recent article on the Mississauga transit system:

I moved to Mississauga with my family in the 1960s and have seen firsthand the transformation of small farming towns into one large, sprawling metropolis.

For my parents, the move to Mississauga was the culmination of the (North) American dream – a new house in the suburbs with the white picket fence, the 2.5 kids, two cars and happy motoring for everyone.

Some 40 or so years later, suburbia is taking on a vastly different tone. With petroleum hovering at almost $130 a barrel, gasoline at $1.25 a litre and the price of just about everything except wages skyrocketing, one can’t help but question the viability of our lifestyle.

The suburbs and their interconnecting freeways are the brainchild of the automobile industry, and its very existence is based not only on the proliferation of the car, but also on cheap and abundant quantities of petroleum.

Despite the fact that we suburbanites spend hours a day in an automobile, it never dawns on most people how much we have become slaves to our vehicles and how utterly dependent we are on them to support our standard of living. It is also beyond the comprehension of most that our living arrangements are also entirely unsustainable.

We survive solely through the profligate use of oil, and the very foundation of modern society is built on the premise of a forever cheap and plentiful supply of the stuff. Now that oil production has reached a peak (or close to it) and demand is starting to overtake supply, the cracks are starting to appear in the foundation of our society and the system is beginning to show serious strain.

Unlike most of Europe, our cities in North America are built around the car. Our public transportation is less than adequate, and there are many areas of our city that can be described as outright “pedestrian unfriendly” with nary a sidewalk or bike path to be seen, but certainly no shortage of parking lots, roads and big box stores. It’s this short-sightedness of city planners that must be addressed; our city reflects our addiction to our cars. This is not only detrimental to the environment, it’s a downright unhealthy way to live. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease aren’t on the rise because people exercise too much.

While an enormous increase in our public transportation infrastructure is a step in the right direction, it’s not the only thing that needs to be done to avert a looming catastrophe. What we need is a massive change in lifestyle and our way of thinking. We simply cannot continue at this rate of consumption.

The news headlines are there for all to see: Rising petroleum prices. Skyrocketing food prices. Massive food shortages worldwide. The demise of the automobile and the airline industries. These are all results of a slowly-dwindling fuel supply, and the situation is bound to get worse — much worse.

What can be done? We need to work closer to home, grow our food closer to home and find a better living arrangement than tearing up vast tracts of valuable farmland and replacing them with pavement, houses and strip malls. The question is, do we as a society have what it takes to bring about serious changes?

- Nick Lagrasta

'Nuff said.

put that thumb away

PickupPal is a global ride matching service that can help you get where you need to go - or find someone to share your gas costs with.

Their Eco-Ridesharing Program allows events (like Virgin's Music Festivals), groups and organizations, to move their people smarter, cleaner and better, via a free specialized website that connects rides with riders as well as a unique "Eco-Counter" to track KMs and the group's total emissions reduction.

This is a real and innovative way for organizations to provide the power of PickupPal to their community - helping us reduce our footprint and feel less guilty attending the events we love.

calgary virgin music festival keeps it green

Besides awesome bands, 35,000 music lovers who kicked off summer at Fort Calgary this past weekend heard the eco message with on-site recycling and composting, biodegradable cups and containers and human-powered mobile phone charging stations.

Virgin also partnered with PickupPal for ride sharing, and TD Canada Trust ran solar powered computers - because no one can be away from facebook for that long.

shift happens

Liberal leader Stephane Dion's "green shift" carbon tax plan could cut taxes by $15.5 billion, including $11 billion in personal income tax cuts. His proposal is being released today.

The proposed green tax will hit electricity and home heating fuel but exempt gasoline, and would be phased in over four years. The Liberals have acknowledged that oil companies may pass the cost of the tax on to consumers.

A carbon tax plan is seen as risky by many analysts, as Dion is betting on the Canadian public's desire to reduce greenhouse gases to outweigh a potential rise in costs.

Source: CTV News