9 things people do...

...to feel less-guilty on Earth Day:

1. take public transit (and ask the driver how much it costs)

2. use a travel coffee mug (and ask if there's a discount)

3. plant a tree (with the help of local kids who know what to do)

4. buy organic produce (and balk at the cost and vibrant colors)

5. pick up litter (as long as it's not too dirty)

6. put batteries aside for disposal (instead of in the garbage)

7. wear green (st. paddy's day was last month?)

8. whip out the credit card and donate to an eco-charity online

9. drive the fam to an earth-day event (if the irony is lost...)

get real this christmas

Literally - the David Suzuki Foundation says you should buy a real Christmas tree over an artificial one.

Justin Smallbridge, who researched the issue for the foundation, said it's better for the environment since - for the most part - they are grown and sold locally, produce oxygen, are fully recyclable, and, once cut, are replaced with at least two more seedlings.

According to Statistics Canada, real Christmas tree sales were worth $73.9 million in 2005. About 2.4 million trees were exported to places as far away as Ireland and Thailand. Up to six million trees are grown in Canada each year.

But not everyone wants to get real. According again to StatsCan, $36.6 million was spent importing artificial trees from China in 2005.

Full article from the Vancouver Province >>