when nature calls

Finally, less annoying cell phone ringtones.

Now you can give back to nature with every call with GreenTones. Every time you download a GreenTone (think African Lion, or the sounds of Algonquin Park) you are contributing to WWF in support of their global conservation efforts.

it's a beautiful thing

Hamburger chain Harvey's is launching its environmental makeover; their prototype restaurant in Hamilton, Ontario is smaller and makes use of solar shades, energy-efficient lighting and recycling systems that point to a larger industry trend.

"Every item can be recycled in the store with the exception of the wrapping," said president Rick McNabb. "We are looking at aggressive ways of reducing packaging." Harvey's will be renovating 100 locations to be more eco-friendly while scaling back their menus.

Strangely, restaurants will also be relocated closer to roads to increase drive-thru business - and idling emmisions?

Full story at Financial Post

solar-powered air travel

On an international front...and a story worth mentioning:

It’s early days yet, but solar-powered aircraft is on the cusp of being the next big thing in the aviation industry.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has paired up with Solar Impulse to collaborate on the prospects of carbon-free air travel.

Bertrand Piccard, President of Solar Impulse remarks that "our future freedom relies on us converting to renewable energy sources as soon as possible. In this sense, the vision set by IATA to eliminate all polluting emissions within the next 50 years is admirable."

Test flights for the first protoype airplane are scheduled to begin in early 2009.

Solar power – it just makes sense.

thumbs down to environment in new budget

Just an hour ago, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's new budget focused on reducing debt, breaks for seniors and a brand new tax-free savings account - super for upper-middle class Canadians who have extra disposable income.

On the green front, the Conservatives will put $250 million over five years into "developing innovative, greener, more fuel-efficient vehicles" - I'm guessing to help our ailing auto industry.

But it's ending the eco auto rebate program that attracted so much attention in the last budget.

As for greenhouse gases, the plan sets out $250 million for a carbon capture and storage demonstration project, and research on the potential for carbon storage in Nova Scotia.

Public transit was given a nod with $500 million to spend on infrastructure - albeit only in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver - and $113 million will go towards a vague 'protecting consumers from toxins in products.'

Aaron Freeman, policy director for Environmental Defence, told CTV.ca the Conservatives seem to have no clear direction on the environment. "It's hard to know where this government is going on the environment. You had water and Great Lakes protection in the Throne Speech and yet there's nothing in this budget to back it up."

MPs will debate the budget in the coming days with the opposition parties getting their chance to propose amendments before the final vote on Tuesday.

Source: CTV.ca

toronto hosts canada's 1st eco wedding show

Eco-conscious couples looking for green options for their special day should attend the Eco Wedding & Lifestyle Show, March 1-2 at Toronto's Design Exchange.

Sponsored by Absolute Tent & Event Rentals and Weddingbells, the show will feature a collection of diverse wedding and lifestyles vendors, all of them committed to green living.

Enter to win tickets from treehuggingfamily.com!

industry omitted from new carbon tax

British Columbia introduced North America's first full-fledged carbon tax this week, claiming it could lead to a cut in greenhouse-gas emissions of about 3 million tons in the next five years.

"We promised you green and today we delivered green," said Finance Minister Carole Taylor, who presented the changes as a way of encouraging environmentally friendly choices. "If you start to change your lifestyle even modestly ... you will have extra dollars in your pocket."

The tax is expected to bring in as much as $1.8 billion over the next three years by increasing the price of almost all fossil fuels in the province, though it's designed to be revenue neutral and won't raise funds for clean energy like Quebec's carbon tax.

To enhance its appeal, the tax is being paired with a $100 rebate as well as a range of tax cuts this July.

Critics noted that industrial emissions from oil, gas, and cement production will not be taxed under the plan. "It's a great day for banks and big polluters. Banks got a huge tax break and polluters don't have to pay the carbon tax," NDP finance critic Bruce Ralston said.

Globe and Mail | Vancouver Sun | CTV

eco-gadgets

While the inventions are American, I'm still partial to the gadgets profiled yesterday in this Georgia Strait article.

From cardboard speakers to a handheld charger that turns wind power into electricity, these gadgets appeared at The Greener Gadgets Conference in NY this month.

baby bottles fly off store shelves

The Globe and Mail reports that the overwhelming demand in BPA-free baby bottles has resulted in shortages across the country, making it difficult for many Canadian parents to get their hands on them.

The mounting public concern over bisphenol A, a potentially harmful and increasingly controversial chemical common in many plastics, has reached a boiling point in Canada after recent tests on Avent, Gerber and Playtex brands showed the chemical can leach from baby bottles and may be harmful to children.

Though distributors like Born Free, Green to Grow and ThinkBaby are filling orders as quickly as they can, the demand has been so high many stores don't expect new stock for several more weeks.

Glass bottles are more readily available, but some parents and child care organizations are wary of using them because of the risk of broken glass.

a PVC-free valentine's shower

Everyone is blogging about Valentine's Day, so to fit in I'm suggesting you celebrate with a shower (together is nice)...but not behind that vinyl curtain!

That smell when you unfold a new vinyl shower curtain? The off-gassing of PVC chemicals. That's short for polyvinyl chloride, and it's production and disposal produce dioxin. What's more DEHP - one of the additives - is a suspected carcinogen, and new vinyl curtains have been shown to raise air toxins in the home. Gross.

So feel the love by choosing a natural fabric such as bamboo or hemp for your next curtain instead. Where to find this you ask? I recommend grassroots, my favourite green store.

no junk mail please

Last year, so fed up with the amount of junk mail that I was receiving, I posted a discreet sign just under my mailbox – ‘No Junk Mail, Please’. It works and what a difference it has made! No more pesky unsolicited mail or flyers.

The Red Dot Campaign is promoting awareness that Canadians' do have a choice in opting out of receiving junk mail from Canada Post through their Consumer Choice Option.

A couple of easy ways to stop junk mail --> a sample letter is available for download from Red Dot Campaign ... just complete and forward it to your postal carrier or simply post a 'no junk mail' sign near your mailbox or mail slot.

It's as easy as that!

gone paperless yet?

An easy way to reduce paper use is to use electronic bills. Top 5 reasons to go paperless from Bell Canada:

1. It cuts clutter - you'll have less mail to sort through
2. It saves trees - printed copies use tons of paper
3. It's safer - studies show that electronic mail is safer than traditional paper mail in terms of identify fraud
4. It's easy to manage - you can access bills from as far back as 12 months
5. It's easy to sign up - a few steps is all it takes

speaking of greenwashing

paper mills can be green?

A new report shows Canada's printing, newspaper, book and magazine sectors made major environmental headway in 2007 despite difficult economic conditions for Canada's paper mills overall.

More than 520 Canadian book publishers, magazines, newspapers and printers now have Ancient Forest Friendly or eco-paper purchasing policies in place, up from 172 at the beginning of 2007. While many paper producers faced record losses and mill closures in 2007, green paper mills fared well.

Polling unveiled in the report shows these environmental initiatives - including printing publications on recycled paper - are greatly supported by Canadian consumers. 95% of Canadians say an environmental policy and progress toward meeting its targets are important benchmarks of a publishing company's environmental integrity.

However, the report also found 78% of Canadians believe companies are marketing themselves to be greener than they really are in practice, noting recent examples like US magazines that have run 'green' issues on 100% virgin paper, including Vanity Fair.

Building a green brand? Don't underestimate the ramifications of greenwashing.

Download the trend report "Finding Integrity in the Eco-Paper Market"

what are you doing march 29?

How about turning off the lights for an hour?

It began in Sydney with the question, "How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?"

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for one hour.

With icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, at 8pm on March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major cities will unite and switch off for Earth Hour.

Join at earthhour.org >>

it's not just the sign that's green

The Toronto-Dominion Bank announced today it will be carbon neutral by 2010.

"Reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions is a key element of our ongoing commitment to take climate change and the environment seriously," said Ed Clark, President and CEO.

"Our approach will start with energy savings programs to reduce our emissions. We will also use green power, and make investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions outside TD to offset any emissions we cannot eliminate."

TD's adoption of eco-friendly policies is part of a growing trend within the banking industry. Rival Bank of Nova Scotia revealed on Monday it has set up a climate change fund, "the first of its kind in Canada."

And last year, Royal Bank of Canada announced the creation of the $50-million Blue Water Project, a ten-year program to support water conservation "and other water-related issues."

TheTD Greenwash Action Team in the pic above, however, feel differently.

don't count your (organic) eggs before they've hatched

By now, you've probably seen one news report or another highlighting the plight of Halifax resident Lousie Hanavan, an urban farmer who kept three chickens in her backyard. She raised the chickens for their eggs - a healthy and local alternative to mass-produced chicken factory ovals.

"If we're talking about reducing carbon emissions, then producing our own food in a way that is unobtrusive to our neighbours is not a bad idea," she told reporters last week.

According to the sources, she made sure her neighbours would be okay with her backyard coop, and she’s very careful about controlling the food supply laid down in the yard. But last week, one of her neighbours called the bylaw enforcement officers in on her, claiming the chickens and their feed are bringing rats into the neighbourhood.

"I've got nothing against the chickens at all, but I got lots against the rats," said Reg Harper. "You have to put feed out, so you're going to have rats."

Supporters of Hanavan say, yes, the rats are a problem - but that they have always been a problem in Halifax. Hanavan is hoping the municipality will review the issue. Once again, the powers that be talk about reducing eco-harm, then turn around and block individuals' efforts to do so.

CBC News >>