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Reduce Reduce Reduce

Posted on July 7, 2009
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Toronto is now in the 16th day of a municipal workers’ strike. For the average home owner the biggest impact is that they now have to take their own garbage to a temporary dump. As the garbage piles up and tempers flare I can’t help but wonder where did all this garbage come from? How did we, as a society, come to the point where we produce so much garbage on a daily basis?

The 3 R’s of sustainable living shouldn’t be reduce, reuse and recycle, but reduce, reduce and reduce! Of course reusing and recycling are very important but the focus should be on reducing what we buy in the first place, and purchasing products with little or no packaging.

Until now I felt that I was doing my part by recycling and making sure that all the food waste went into to the “green bin” for composting by the city, but after repacking all my garbage to take to the dump I realized that by far the biggest problem is the amount of waste that we bring into the house on a daily basis. A lot of food packaging is not recyclable and the packaging on consumer electronics is so excessive and difficult to open that someone even invented a special tool to deal with it!

As consumers we can do more. We can choose to purchase products with minimal or no packaging, and we can take take our own shopping bags and boxes. Ultimately though it is governments and businesses that must step up to the plate and reduce this ridiculous waste. It is not possible to reduce all packaging but it certainly can be reduced substantially, and what must be used should be recyclable.

So reduce, reduce, reduce, and when you can’t then reuse and recycle. Reusing and recycling should last resorts and not easy cop-outs.

Bamboo – The Perfect Renewable Resource

Posted on May 27, 2009
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I am not sure why bamboo is only recently experiencing a surge in popularity in the Western world. For a natural resource that is renewable and self-sustaining and can be used in such a wide array of consumer products, its merits should be more widely promoted.

Bamboo, the fastest growing plant on the planet, is a member of the grass family. Some varieties grow up to 6″ a day and up to 100′ tall. It produces 30% more oxygen than trees and unlike trees which need to be replanted, bamboo is self generating and can be harvested every three to five years. When cut bamboo will sprout new shoots and grow back. Because of its extensive root system and large canopy bamboo reduces rain run-off and is proving to be a very valuable weapon in the prevention of soil erosion in many parts of the world.

Bamboo is used in a wide variety of products including construction materials, furniture, clothing, bedding, kitchen utensils and wind chimes. In recent years it has become very popular for flooring because it is as strong as oak and a sustainable, renewable resource.

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BUY Bamboo Bath Towels at Exclusively Green
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When manufactured into a fabric bamboo is very soft, absorbent and is frequently used to make clothing for babies as well as adults, as well as thick luxurious towels.

Isn’t it time to switch to green eco-friendly bamboo?

Tree Houses for the Child In You

Posted on May 13, 2009
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Inside every adult lurks the child who always wanted their own tree house. If you were lucky enough to have had a tree house growing up, you probably have wonderful memories of it.

I remember reading a few years ago that designer tree houses were all the rage. Adults were spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to have luxury tree houses built. These were actually homes built in trees.

While we might not all have that luxury we can certainly indulge our fantasies by looking at these wonderful structures.

GreenLivingOnline.com recently ran a wonderful article featuring some of the best New Treehouses of the World, extracted from Peter Nelson’s book of the same name.

Enjoy!

NewTreehouses of the World


Ebikes, Folding Bikes and Scooters

Posted on April 28, 2009
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I was at the Green Living Show in Toronto last week and I was amazed by the number of electric bikes, folding bikes and scooters now available.

I have an 18 year old hybrid bike that I love, but I have to admit that there are times that I have coveted a folding bike.  Being able to fold and easily transport a bicycle adds a whole new level of freedom to this wonderful vehicle.

Until last week my idea of a folding bike was one with tiny wheels and very tall seat posts.  The latest trend in folding bikes is full size bicycles that can be easily folded down and opened up.

For additional flexibility there are ebikes or electric bikes. Sometimes the return trip is a lot longer or harder than you anticipated. Getting a little extra help on those hills can turn an occasional or reluctant cyclist into an avid one.

For the ultimate flexibility in cycling, how about a folding electric bike?

If pedaling doesn’t appeal to you, then you can opt for an electric scooter. Similar to small motorcycles they can travel up to 50 km on a single charge. Although the regulations vary depending on which province or state you live in, generally you do not require a special license or insurance to operate one. In addition there may be government incentives if you ride or purchase one.

So, what are you waiting for?


Earth Day 2009

Posted on April 22, 2009
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earthdayToday is the 39th Earth Day. It was started in the United States in 1970 as an environmental awareness event with 20 million people participating. In 2009 it is projected that over 1 billion men, women and children in 174 countries around the world will be involved in earth day activities.

People will have the environment on their minds today, as they should. More than ever we need to seriously change our consumption habits if we want to leave the earth inhabitable for future generations. We must also continue to keep the pressure on governments and businesses to make environmental issues a priority.

Although Earth Day is a wonderful idea, what really matters is what we do everyday, 365 days of the year.

Are You Being Greenwashed?

Posted on April 17, 2009
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“Green-wash (green’wash’, -wôsh’) – verb: the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.”

The number of green products in the market is increasing exponentially. It seems that every business is claiming to be green. But are they? Or are we all being greenwashed?

greenwashing1

What criteria does a company use to determine that it is green, or to sell its claim to be a responsible green enterprise. While there are best practices, guidelines and the ISO 14021 standard for environmental labeling, these are not enforced and businesses use their own criteria to make that assessment, or pronouncement, themselves.

The environmental marketing firm TerraChoice just released “The Seven Sins of Greenwashing” (updated from the 2007 version, where there were only six sins!) which are:

  1. Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off – using a narrow set of attributes to determine a product is green, instead of looking at the entire manufacturing process.
  2. Sin of No Proof - making claims that cannot be easily substantiated by supporting documentation or third-party certification.
  3. Sin of Vagueness – poorly defined claim;  “all natural” is not necessarily “green” or even safe.
  4. Sin of Irrelevance – claim may be true but meaningless;  for example stating a product is “CFC free” since CFC is banned by law.
  5. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils – the product is harmful; making it a less harmful does not change that fact.
  6. Sin of Fibbing – basically lying about their green claim!
  7. Sin of Worshipping False labels (new) – fake labels of third-party certification.

The entire report can be downloaded from here: Greenwashing Report 2009

In November 2008 and January 2009 TerraChoice researchers visited 24 big box stores in Canada and the United States and evaluated 2,219 products and 4,996 green claims. They found that 98% of these products committed at least one of the previously identified six sins and a seventh sin emerged, the “The Sin of Worshipping False Labels”. Green claims – and greenwashing - are most common for kids toys and baby products, cleaning products and cosmetics.

So what is a consumer to do?

Do not give up. Keep supporting greener products but choose wisely. Pick products will reliable labels, or if absent products that offer transparency, information and education. If unsure, keep in mind the Seven Sins above.

According to the Greenwashing Index site, when presented with a green product we need to know “The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth“.

To keep companies honest you can login to The Greenwashing Index and rate ads on how green you believe them to be from 1 = authentic, to 5=bogus.  You can even submit ads for review.

Greenwashing is bad for the environment, consumers and business, so help cut through the greenwashing and we all win.

So, before you buy another green product, make sure you are not getting greenwashed.

P.S.

I like the The GreenWashing Index definition of greenwashing as:

“… when a company or organization spends more time and money claiming to be “green” through advertising and marketing than actually implementing business practices that minimize environmental impact. It’s whitewashing, but with a green brush.“

Are Teenagers Greener?

Posted on April 16, 2009
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My 18 year old son is constantly telling me that he is going to live in a self-sustaining house. I think it is a wonderful idea, we should all live in self-sustaining houses, but find it quite ironic. He still leaves all the lights on when he leaves a room. There is a big disconnect between his green ambitions and his every day actions and I am sure he is not alone.

What do you think? Are teenagers greener than their parents, or do they only think they are?

I live in Ontario and I remember when I was growing up there were “Do not litter” signs everywhere, especially on the highway and warnings of a $50 fine if you were caught littering.  I NEVER litter and I don’t know of any of my friends who do. It was so ingrained in us that I still carry around litter until I find a garbage can. I could never understand why the government stopped that very successful campaign.

When I see young people litter I cringe. I have even been known to question the quality of their upbringing! My perfect children do not litter – they only leave all the lights on!

5 Ways to Green Your Transportation

Posted on April 12, 2009
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One significant way that you can green your life is by changing your mode of transportation. This may be easier to do in cities than in suburban or rural areas, but it is not impossible. Our top five Go Green transportation suggestions are:

1. Leave the car at home. Walk, take public transit or bicycle. You save money, save the environment and feel more energetic. Who knows, maybe you will even loose a few pounds!

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If you want to combine walking and biking, you can always get yourself one of these Bergmoench bikes that fold into a backpack!   Ok, they are not real bikes – they don’t have pedals or seats -  more like downhill scooters, but so cool!


Bergmönch from Thomas Kaiser on Vimeo.

2. If you are thinking about purchasing a car, but don’t need one every day, why not try a car sharing service like Zipcar or Autoshare. Or, if you live in Sebastopol, California,  SolarCarShare is almost ready to launch one of the first electric car share programs in the world! Car sharers also tend to bike, walk, and use public transit more. The pounds keep falling off!

3. Need your own motorized transportation? How about an electric scooter? I have had my eyes on the sleek looking Vespas for a quite a while now.

vespa

Not quite a motorcycle but stylish and energy efficient they are perfect for city driving. In the United States, as part of the government’s stimulus package, you can get a tax rebate when you purchase one. In Toronto, Canada you can park free at all metered spots on city streets. Can other cities be far behind?

4 . Ok, you really need a car. There are some pretty exciting new energy efficient cars on the market these days. Whether you are looking for two seater or a pickup truck, the National Resources Canada’s fuel consumption ratings guide allows you to calculate the most fuel efficient car for your requirements.

For a quick summary, check out Consumer Reports list of the most fuel-efficient cars and the cars with the best & worst fuel economy by category.

5. Got a day long journey? Take the train. Today’s trains are luxury vehicles with comfortable high backed seats and wireless Internet.  Relax, and let someone else worry about getting you to your destination.

Happy travelling…

Susan

Green EcoLiving

Posted on April 10, 2009
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At Green EcoLiving our aim is to help you green your life.

We can’t escape it . We must change if the planet is to survive.  Although the prospect of going green may at first seem overwhelming it is not an all or nothing decision. For most it is a gradual evolution brought on by small everyday changes.

Whether you have already embraced the eco friendly lifestyle or are taking baby steps in that direction, going green can be very liberating. The first step is to be conscious of the decisions we make and the actions we take on a daily basis and identifying what we can change.