June 3rd, 2009
Tangled on how to tie the knot and mind the planet? Traditions and expectations for the perfect wedding day can push consumerism over the top. But with some creative alternatives they don’t have to outshine a low carbon wedding.
From the dress and tux to rings and the gift registry, green weddings is a big topic in the latest David Suzuki Nature Challenge newsletter . Innovators like Vancouver-based photographer Brendon Purdy leaves no trace (except for the couple’s memorable pics) when he photographs weddings. Packing his gear onto his bicycle, Purdy’s travels to photograph the special event are completely carbon neutral.
Are loved ones doing the traveling instead to join the celebration? Queen of Green Lindsay Coulter offers up smart and sustainable low-emission wedding ideas in a recent article . Get inspired, get active and share your green wedding tips!
Tags: carbon neutral, green house gas emissions, green wedding, low carbon emission
Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Green Living, Lindsay, climate change, energy, garbage, off the grid, transportation, vacation/holiday | No Comments »
May 25th, 2009
What can I use to clean outdoor, unfinished teak furniture?
Cris,
Answer
For teak specifically, I’m guessing any tips for wood are going to work. And no worries about the fact that it’s teak. If you take care of it, it will last a long time. I have some sustainable harvest acacia or something from Ikea and we use straight Linseed Oil. First wipe with a cloth (don’t soak) the wood with warm water and the home-made all purpose cleaner (in my recipes) or some castile soap. The Borax in the all purpose cleaner recipe will take care of any mildew.
Another “green” book of mine recommends mixing 4 parts raw linseed oil and 1 part turpentine. Although turpentine often gets a bad wrap, it is from pine trees. Of course things from nature can still have their issues. I bet they use it as a thinner and because it’ll help the linseed penetrate deeper. I’ve been happy with pure linseed oil wiped on with a cloth. You might have to re-apply each season depending on the quality of the wood, how it’s weathered and it’s up keep to date. It might be very thirsty! The biggest caution is all oils are flammable. So no applying near an open flame and carefully dry out the rags before you dispose of them. Again, do all of this outside! I hope that helps.
Lindsay, Queen of Green
Tags: patio furniture, teak
Posted in Green cleaning | 2 Comments »
May 25th, 2009
Because I love the purity of the snow
and how the white contrasts with the sky. |
Because the sun feels sooooo good
when it comes out! Soul-ar powered! |
I love winter for the wonderful
peace angels we can become! |
Who needs to mine for diamonds when mother nature
provides us with diamonds all winter long! |
We asked our Nature Challenge community to tell us how they celebrate winter. Here’s a portion of the note Dominique Larocque sent us along with her pictures:
My Nature Challenge In 1994, I made a conscious decision to embrace a new form of challenge! Getting people to fall in love with playing outside. As a two time National team athlete focused on winning medals, I had ‘profoundly lost’ the real meaning of what it was to simply play outside for the pure sake of what I call today my three environmental R’s: RECONNECT-REWILD-
REWIRE.
Tags: Canada, climate change, outdoors, snow, sports, winter
Posted in David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Green Living, Human Health, Newsletter response, climate change, recycling, vacation/holiday | No Comments »
April 29th, 2009
Diana from Vancouver, BC writes:
Our household regularly recycles clothing through the bins and pickup services widely available around Vancouver. However, over the years I have accumulated quite a backlog of non-reusable cloth: ragged tea towels, worn-thin and torn sheets, stretched-out and stained t-shirts, old underwear, etc.
I can find articles online that discuss the usefulness of these things; that they can be recycled into new cloth or carpet underlay and other things. But I can’t find anybody who can tell me where to take them for this purpose. Do you know?
Lindsay writes:
A backlog of cloth, and rags you say? Well, let’s see… my wardrobe goes through a certain chain of events from brand new to dog-walking attire to pajamas, and then off to Goodwill or Salvation Army in most cases. I don’t have one answer for you where cloth is concerned but let me see if I can get you started on your homework:
1. Contact the Recycling Council of BC . Not sure if they handle cloth, etc. but they may know who does. They have a phone-in hotline or you can email them.
2. If the items are still wearable consider donating them to a local Men’s or Women’s shelter. Wish Drop-In Center Society is limited to women items only. Their most urgent request is for toiletries - if you have some used and unused items (things like lotions, make up toothpaste, soaps etc.) that you would like to get rid of, don’t throw them out - they would use them gladly. They will also take new or used lingerie (underwear, bras).
3. Paper was once made from cloth, before it was made from pulp (trees). Perhaps find out, via Google searching, if anyone in Vancouver does paper making? Or try it yourself. We showed folks how to make paper from their scrap paper at home, but you can likely find a recipe or YouTube video of how to do it from cloth.
4. Next would be to think about who could use spare clothes in your area. Maybe you could wash, bundle and bag them and call up your local automotive shop? Or the car wash near by or the local community hall, etc. Just think who might go through a lot of them and see if they can be useful to someone else. I’m also thinking of artists or studios who make big messes, maybe call the Emily Carr Institute on Granville Island?
Tags: cloth and rags, men's shelter, paper making, recyling clothing, reuse, women's shelter
Posted in Consumer Issues, Green Living, Lindsay, garbage, recycling, sustainability | 2 Comments »
April 29th, 2009
Bev from Brampton, ON writes:
I have often wondered when I’m shopping what containers are the best choice for me to make for recyclables: plastic, glass, or aluminum?
Lindsay replies:
Things to consider about packaging of your consumer goods:
1. Avoid excess packaging whenever possible or buy the equivalent product or brand that uses minimal packaging.
2. Check in with your local recycling depot to see what they accept. Although many items are recyclable, your municipal facility may not accept them, hence they end up in the landfill.
3. Plastic: aim for those numbered #2, 4, 5 because you can reuse these safely. Generally they are the safest forms of plastic. Again, check with your local depot to see if they recycle #1, 3, 6 and 7, as it will vary.
4. Glass: I like it because I can reuse it. It’s accepted at most recycling depots.
5. Aluminium: it’s usually recyclable in your blue box and can be broken down and used again and again.
6. Buy bulk to reduce packaging all together and reuse the plastic bags you buy your goods in. For example, I keep the twist tie and bag together, tucked beside my flour jar. When I need to refill, I grab the bag and head to the store. You don’t even need to search for a pen or that secret code because you’ve already labeled it!
Tags: aluminum, blue box, buy bulk, consumer issues, glass, packaging, plastic, recyclables, recycle, reduce, reuse
Posted in Consumer Issues, Food, Green Living, Human Health, Lindsay, Newsletter response, climate change, garbage, gardening, recycling | No Comments »
April 29th, 2009
Mary Cassells writes:
What really bugs me is all the plastic. Not just credit cards and ID cards, but plastic bags. Often, the sales clerk will not let me leave the store with my purchase without the purchase being in a plastic bag. This is especially the case in big department stores like Sears and the Bay. They assume I am about to shoplift. Perhaps a compromise would be paper bags. I don’t know. I just seem to accumulate the plastic bags.
Lindsay, Queen of Green, replies:
Well depending on where you live, cloth bags do seem to becoming the norm. Some municipalities have even banned plastic bags all together! You’d like the movie Addicted to Plastic.
I have had the argument with such sales clerks as well. One time after I ended my battle with the cashier, I took the plastic bag, only to walk over to customer service counter and hand it back, explaining why I didn’t need or want it. That was about five years ago now!
Next time, tell them you’re saving them money. I mean most stores give you a credit for NOT taking a bag or they’ll charge you for it. Also ask for them to use their store tape. They often have this handy for large items that can’t fit in a bag anyway. I know the last time I was at The Bay, I used my own bag, no problem.
Just keep at it. If we all refuse the bags and lobby our towns and cities to ban them, the merchants will figure it out!
Tags: cloth bags, consumer issues, plastic bags
Posted in Consumer Issues, Green Living, Lindsay, garbage, recycling | No Comments »
April 29th, 2009
Lissa Guilbault from Val-David, QC writes:
I have two questions for which I hope you can shed some light.
1. My fridge is over 10 years old and needs some taking care of. Is it better for the environment that I have it repaired and keep it for as long as I can? Or that I take the deal offered by Hydro-Québec (they come and pick up any fridge that’s 10 years+ and give you $60 for it) and buy a less energy hungry appliance?
2. I have a bit of money in RRSP’s. Where do I start looking to have them transferred to greener investments?
Ryan from the David Suzuki Foundation Climate Change Program replies:
There have been significant advances in the energy efficiency of household appliances in recent years. While in many cases we strongly support reusing (or repairing) rather than purchasing new items, the efficiency of new appliances is so much greater than older models that I would recommend taking Hydro-Québec’s deal and purchase a new fridge.
Natural Resources Canada offers buying and operating tips for refrigerators. They do not show what further progress has been made in the last five years but from 1990 to 2004 the average annual energy consumption for a refrigerator fell from 1044kWh per year to only 465.
Be sure to choose an Energy Star qualified model which ensures that the product meets high energy efficiency standards.
As for transferring savings to "green" investments, here is Corporate Knights’ list of top ethical investment funds:
Corporate Knights is a Canadian magazine for responsible business. You can learn more about these funds by going to their websites.
Tags: energy star appliances, green investments, hydro, old fridge, RRSP's
Posted in Consumer Issues, Green Living, Sustainable economy, recycling | No Comments »
April 29th, 2009
Sarah Kmiech writes:
I was reading your newsletter regarding what’s hot and what’s not in 2009. It was said that "Free Exercise" was hot and "Gym & Studio Memberships" were not. Being a person who goes to, and enjoys the gym (and also a person who cares for the environment), I was wondering what it was about gyms that make them not an environmental choice?
Gail from The Green Room replies:
Having a gym membership isn’t "not environmental," per se.
A lot of people believe that it takes a lot of money to protect nature – buying organic, owning a hybrid vehicle, etc. With the economy teetering, we want people to stay mindful of the environment and do the best they can to make green choices.
The point is that there are lot of things people can do to lighten their footprints that are free and/or inexpensive. And, that if a person chooses certain options – like repairing clothes instead of buying new ones, or running outside instead of joining a gym – that frees up funds to choose things he or she might care passionately about that seem beyond reach (like buying organic, etc). It’s about finding balance in life.
And, of course, people who spend time outdoors and feel a connection to nature care about protecting it, so we encourage people to get their exercise outdoors, where possible.
We did not mean that belonging to a gym isn’t "green." In fact, until you (and one other person) mentioned it, it never occurred to me that someone might read it that way! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I’ve belonged to a yoga studio for years and cherish that community. And I know Dr. Suzuki works out in gyms all the time, wherever he is in the world.
Tags: environmentally friendly, exercise, gym memberships, nature, outdoor activity, yoga
Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki, Green Living, Human Health, Newsletter response | No Comments »
April 29th, 2009
Lisa Wilson from St. Catharines, ON writes:
We are lucky enough to live within a region that has a curbside composting program, which led me to initiate something in my workplace. I work at Brock University with 17,000 students, 1600 faculty and staff, 3 Tim Horton’s and 2 Starbucks.
In order to teach people that paper cups were compostable and plastic lids recyclable, I came up with the idea to have a cup challenge. Register a team, stack and save your cups, bring them to us to measure (rim to rim only, cup size doesn’t matter) then the first three teams to reach the top of our Schmon Tower at 167 ft would win prizes.
Well, within 35 days we had our first winner! And by the end of the contest, 86 days, we had collected 7.7 times the tower, reaching 1286 ft and over 38,000 cups. The contest has ended, but we since have the support of Custodial Services and we now have special bins for paper cups.
I need to run the challenge again, it was mostly staff that participated, and I’m hoping to find a Student group to take up the cause. Perhaps challenge York University? Besides the diversion from the landfill, we believe people have switched to refillable mugs since having the visual of almost reaching the CN Tower!
Tags: Brock University, garbage, recycling paper cups
Posted in Consumer Issues, garbage, gardening, recycling | No Comments »
