litterless lunches made easier

When researching our earlier post on back-to-school, we happened upon a great resource from Canadian entrepreneur Casey Nolis.

Frustrated when packing lunches because of small lunch bags, BPA-plastics and leaking containers, Nolis started researching products that could be found outside of the usual chain stores.

She liked what she found, and launched mylitterlesslunches.ca to make them all available in one place.

At her site you'll find lead and PVC-free lunch bags for adults and kids that are not only attractive but functional - and large enough to hold an entire lunch; BPA-free plastic and stainless steel containers and bottles (that don't leak); cloth t-shirt napkins; even cold packs.

Plus, if your school, workplace or organization need to fundraise, My Litterless Lunches will even donate a portion of profits.

whew! that WAS easy

Ah, back-to-school.

The impact on the earth, the frenzy at Walmart, the appalling cost of it all. This year, why not stay home, make a list, and spend an afternoon hunting through the house?

It’s likely you already have most things you need.

Start by sorting through all the school supplies you find hanging around from last year, used and unused. Get the kids involved. It’s probable you can fill a bin with duo-tangs, binders, paper, rulers, pencil crayons and pens.

Organize into sets for each child, and note any missing items. To round out the selection, see if family or friends are interested in trading to fulfill everyone’s school-supply lists.

For those items you do need to pick up, choose earth-friendly versions. Recycled paper notebooks, corn pens, staple-less staplers, even scissors, rulers and erasers made of recycled materials.

Backpacks, pencil cases and the like should not need to be replaced every year. A quick wash, maybe a little tailoring, and you should be set.

And hold off on getting everything paper-related under the sun – chances are, the first week of school will bring with it requests for agendas, specific notebooks, and school books that need to be purchased from your child’s school anyway.

Ah, lunches.

With garbage-free lunches now the norm at most schools, the challenge is to get everything into reusable containers. Do away with plastic sandwich and snack bags and excess packaging.

ReUsies makes bags that can be tossed in the wash when they get dirty. They are 100% cotton and lined with water-resistant 100% nylon (BPA, lead and phthalate free), use Velcro to stay closed, and are big enough for sandwiches, bagels and wraps.

As for what to pack, start with healthy fruits and veggies. Make things a lot easier – especially during the colder months - by having local, organic produce delivered right to your home. In Toronto, try Mama Earth Organics for friendly service.

Ah, career changes.

For us big kids, this time of year can bring thoughts of new challenges, new opportunities, and change – such as a career. If you’ve been considering a switch to something a little more earth-oriented, check out WorkCabin for inspiration, resources and job postings.

Credits: Victoria and Vancouver Times Colonist

more than just kitty box liner

Despite the herald of the end of print, many of us still get our news the old-fashioned way.

Whether you pick up your local paper every Sunday with a coffee, or have it home-delivered seven days a week, there are ways to use all those trees beyond throwing the pile in the blue box and hoping for the best.

INSULATION
Layers of newspaper are great insulation, for cooling or heating.
-Stuff rolled up newspaper under doors and in cracks of windows come winter time.
-Wrap around ice cream containers or chilled desserts to carry to parties.
-Stuff inside your coat or under blankets to keep warm in an emergency.

REHAB
Here's a technique for those who've suffered hand injuries or strokes, or anyone wanting to strengthen their fingers and forearms.
-Lay single sheet of newspaper on a flat surface, then lay your hand palm down in the centre. Using only that hand, begin crumpling the newspaper and see how small a ball you can crumple it into.

CRAFTS
Use in crafts, for crafts, and to cover the table on which you're doing all this work.
-Paper mache material.
-Paper making kits are inexpensive and easy to use. Take scraps of newspaper and liquidize them to form new sheets of paper.
-Fold into old-school sailor hats.

CLEANING
-Polish your windows, mirrors and glass with crumpled newspaper for a streak-free shine.
-Use them for drop sheets when painting, or for messy jobs like shining your shoes.

GARDEN
-Spread newspaper flat or shredded around the base of plants or between rows of plants and water thoroughly. Will discourage weed growth.

ODOUR REMOVER
-Stuff wads of newspaper into your shoes or boots overnight to remove odors.
-Stinky old plastic containers? Stuff with crumbled up newspaper, seal with lid and leave overnight.
-Also works in trunks, luggage or boxes that have that old musty smell. Great when packing away camping coolers for the winter so they won’t smell in the spring.
-Line the bottom of your kitchen garbage can with several sheets of folded newspaper to help absorb liquids and odours.

FIRESTARTER
-Roll newspaper bundles tight and secure with wire. Use in fireplaces or outdoor pits.

WRAP
-Use to wrap parcels and gifts; the cartoon section is popular with the kiddos.
-Moving? Use newspaper instead of specialty paper (just watch for items that may pick up the ink).

Finally, an idea that hasn't yet taken hold: a pocket umbrella with a used newspaper cover.

Credits:
make-stuff.com
tipnut.com
brighthub.com
eHow.com

get fresh in toronto

On August 26th, catch a screening of Fresh, a new documentary by Ana Sofia Joanes that examines the consequences of our industrial food system and offers a practical alternative for how we grow, buy and eat our food.

Awesome community organization FoodShare has partnered to help with events leading up to the screening, including lectures, workshops, and farm to table dinners.

The screening takes place August 26th from 6:30pm - 9:00pm at the Bloor Cinema. Immediately following the movie will be a panel discussion with some of the leading food activists in the Toronto area. Don't miss it!

For more details, check out Radishes and Rhubarb, or get a list of other screenings (Houston, Chicago) at the FRESH website.

gift wrap: polluting all year round

We don't tend to give much thought to gift wrap - and it's environmental implications - most of the year. Around the holidays, the subject comes up, as crumpled-paper and used bows are tossed to the curb (responsible for a 25 percent spike in curbside trash in the USA alone, according to the EPA).

Trees are felled for the paper, the inks contain harmful chemicals, and everyone might feel just a little guilty about it all. But come summer, all that is out the window! From a hostess gift at a summer soiree to an adorable onesie given at a baby shower, our gift giving is spread out, and so too is the trash.

But it still adds up. The cards, the paper, the bags, the ribbon. Luckily, there are tons of amazing alternatives out there. So after you carefully peel off the tape and save another bit of wrapping paper for reuse (also a wise idea!), consider...

-a scarf, organic cotton baby blanket, beach towel or bath towel (gaiam.com)

-reclaimed NYC subway maps (forestsaver.com)

-cloth gift wrap, or furoshiki - great for wrapping books, wine bottles, and fragile items (wrapnatural.com)

-biodegradable flower seed paper (realgoods.com)

-resused felt squares (squidoo.com)

-birch bark or fresh banana or bamboo leaves (wholeliving.com)

-colourful cloth wrapsacks (greenraising.com)

coffee grinds really have superpowers

More tips for using those grounds once you've slurped down that fair-trade latte...

From apartmentTherapy.com, use coffee grinds and a q-tip to buff out those nicks and dings on your furniture.

bleedingespresso.com suggests putting those grounds to work as a pest and ant repellent, closet deodorizer, and a dust deflector next time you go to clean out those ashes in your fireplace.

For the kiddies, myfamilylovesit.com uses them to make...playdough! Check it out.

voluntravel and get dirty

"Voluntourism" closely follows ecotourism as the next hot travel trend. The idea is just as it sounds - combining volunteering with travel, as a way to give back, meet locals, learn a skill, save the world...

It has its negative nancies just like anything else, but for the most part, voluntourism really is a great idea. Treehugger recently named working on organic farms as the best volunteer vacation in its "Best of Green 2010: Travel and Nature."

You can meet local farmers while harvesting rice in Japan for example, or growing mangoes in Belize. There are a number of reputable travel companies offering volunteer vacations - we'd recommend Projects Abroad or BaseCamp International.

But do your research! Unfortunately, there are a number of unsavory characters out there more than happy to take your money. Our friends over at Verge Magazine are a good place to start if you're keen. And they're really nice - promise ;)

best description of 'upcycling' I've come across
http://ping.fm/ALlwQ

it's green because it says so

From CTV today: Consumer advocates say labeling on products needs to be clearer since some items claiming to be green may not be more environmentally friendly...Environmentalists are concerned about the labeling of products and the process of "greenwashing."

As words like eco-friendly, natural, and green permeate our collective vocabulary, companies looking to profit need go no further than simply labeling their products as such. Most consumers, unfortunately, are duped by what is in reality, very simple marketing.

Picture it: you're in the supermarket aisle, choosing dish soap. Two different brands stare back at you (realistically, more like 43, but go with me here), both the same price for the same amount of liquid. One bottle is green and says 'all-natural' next to the little smiling flower on its label; the other bottle is yellow and says dish soap.

Which will you pick up? The green one, most likely, if you're reading this blog. But what the hell makes dish soap A all-natural? I'm willing to bet the ingredients are the same in both. And hey, triclosan, IS an organic compound ... meaning it is a chemical compound that contains carbon, not to be confused with a natural compound, which comes from a plant or animal source. But I digress...

The point is, as consumers we need to buy less. Period. And what we do buy, we need to be smart about. Read the full article at CTV Winnipeg ~>

No Impact Man, the Film http://ping.fm/dGG8f

What would constitute real progress? http://ping.fm/XXhcZ

IBM Goes All Bio Plastics on Us

IBM researchers have discovered a way to make Earth-friendly plastic from plants -- that could replace petroleum-based products tough on the environment.

Almaden and Stanford University researchers said the discovery could herald an era of sustainability for a plastics industry rife with products notorious for cramming landfills.

The "green chemistry" breakthrough using "organic catalysts" results in plastics that could be repeatedly recycled, instead of only once as is the case with petroleum-based plastic made using metal oxide catalysts.

Read more at Treehugger and Green Inc.

toronto seeking innovators seeking grants

Do you have Toronto’s next great green idea? The City of Toronto is currently accepting nominations for the 2010 Green Innovation Awards.

Through the support of the Toronto Community Foundation donors, up to $50,000 is available to be invested as seed money to help you get your green idea off the ground.

Green ideas may include any new technology, product and/or service that helps make Toronto a greener and more liveable city, and successful applicants will be invited to present their green ideas and funding requests to a panel of experts.

So go on! Submit your application at livegreentoronto.ca.

you can even dye your hair with it

From the brilliant Apartment Therapy's cool little sister Re-nest, here's 11 uses for coffee grounds post-press:

1. Mix with water or soap to make your own exfoliating scrub to wash away dead skin cells.

2. Used as a scrub on your lower half it's said to minimize the appearance of cellulite.

3. What works for your face will also work for your kitchen counters (it may stain grout however)

4. Mix coffee grounds with egg whites to make a mask for your face. Slather it on and let it dry then rinse it off with water.

5. Rinse your pets with coffee grounds to help keep fleas away.

6. Sprinkle coffee grounds near cracks to keep ants at bay.

7. An open glass of coffee grounds absorbs odors in your refrigerator or freezer.

8. Pour them into a single sock or nylon, knot it. Use it to clear out odors from sneakers, your closet or your car.

9. Use them to scrub your hands after cutting onions or cleaning fish.

10. Work coffee grounds into your hair after you wash it instead of your regular conditioner to make it soft and shiny.

book bite: wake up and smell the planet

We have to admit, we were a little reluctant at first. Here was a book from the purveyors of Grist, the environmental news site that is sometimes a bit too 'well-aren't-we-clever' for our taste. Happily, from page one (waking up) we were hooked all the way to bedtime.

Wake Up and Smell the Planet: The Non-Pompous, Non-Preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day is just that - informative, useful, and - while humorous - easy to digest, and not laden with puns. Instead of being just another iteration on the 'change your lightbulbs' theme, we actually learned things from this book.

It feels like a warm and cozy friend, a book to pull off the shelf and reference for years to come. It's also one of the first books we'd actually re-gift to our eco-intimidated loved ones. Best of all, it actually answers that question: which IS better, paper or plastic?

will common sense prevail?

Some Markham city councillors are working on a plan that includes a more sustainable approach to growth in their region.

The idea is to preserve what existing agricultural land they have left by labelling it as 'food belt', which would be protected until at least 2031.

This would then help in turning the focus away from developing prime farmland to intensifying urban areas.

Build up, not out...just makes sense.

Read the article here.

bye bye, glade plug-ins

Those plug-in air fresheners may leave your living room smelling like Hawaiian Breeze, but did you know the chemical fragrances are actually highly toxic?

In the winter months, we work hard to save energy by keeping the heat in. But our efficiency efforts, combined with synthetic items like air fresheners, cleaning products, upholstered furniture, carpets, scented beauty products and scented candles, actually worsen the quality of our indoor air.

According to GreenNexxus, these synthetics "off-gas" – meaning they emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are all toxic.

It is estimated that indoor air is about five times more polluted than outdoor air - outdoor, city air that is! Because we're not about to throw open the windows for any extended period of time, here are some suggestions from GreenNexxus to breathe a little easier:

-Choose eco-friendly cleaning supplies that are less toxic than conventional products. Look for those with the EcoLogo certification so you don’t have to decipher labels. Better yet, switch to vinegar and baking soda for most of your cleaning needs.

-Ensure your stove top is properly vented (especially if you have a gas stove) and avoid cooking with Teflon coated pans since they emit toxic fumes when used at high temperatures.

-If you’re painting choose low VOC or zero-VOC paints. Home Depot, Home Hardware and Benjamin Moore all carry lines of these eco-friendly paints that make a newly painted room livable and much healthier.

-Avoid room fresheners, especially those that plug in. The chemical fragrances used in these are highly toxic.

-Buy fragrance-free beauty products and avoid all aerosols (you inhale all of those tiny spray particles).

-Choose soy or beeswax candles rather than regular candles, which are made from petroleum products. And go the unscented route since artificial fragrances are toxic in their own right.

-If you heat with a wood stove or wood insert ensure the chimney is properly cleaned annually.

-Incorporate house plants into your home decorating - they help to clean the air by absorbing toxins. Spider plants, philodendrons, mums, peace lilies, gerbera daisies and English ivy are some of the best. You need about one plant for every 100 square feet of living space in your home to really take advantage of the benefits.

Get more tips from GreenNexxus readers >

three things to do today

The problem: Each year, more than 1.5 billion disposable lighters end up in landfills or incinerators every year, according to Gillian Deacon's Green For Life. Lighter casings are made from petroleum-based plastic while the butane fluid is a petroleum product.

The solution: Use cardboard matches. They are made from recycled paper and decompose faster than lighters.


The problem: Around 9 billion ATM transactions occur each year in the U.S. and Canada, most of them spitting out receipts. That's a lot of unnecessary paper, considering after a quick look, it all inevitably gets balled up and pitched.

The solution: Instead, keep tabs over your transactions online. If 10,000 people decided to do that, together they'd save a roll of paper more than 460 metres long, according to The Ideal Bite, now part of Disney.


The problem: We know we need to reduce, but in our everyday lives the reality is that there are still things we need to buy, use and consume - which leaves us with leftover bits of food, old household items, and empty containers of all shapes and sizes all destined for landfill or resource-intensive recycling.

The solution: The brilliant team over at How Can I Recycle This? can show you what to do with squeezed toothpaste tubes, broken scissors, even those Ferrero Rocher boxes you got for Christmas (seed trays!).