Archive for the ‘Newsletter response’ Category
Monday, 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 »
Wednesday, 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 »
Wednesday, 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 »
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Larry from Pickering, ON writes:
Thanks for the April newsletter . In connection to helping kids connect to nature, for over 50 years Ontario has held a competition for Grades 4 to 6 each year called Tree Bee. It’s about the identification of native tree species and conservation questions. The children who participate can identify dozens of native trees and gain a great appreciation for nature and the tree neighbours they see every day.
As a Tree Bee coach, I have had past students become foresters and arborists, but most just keep their appreciation of nature and trees. The Ontario Forestry Association hosts Tree Bee each year and more information can be seen on their website . If Dr. Suzuki and or members of the David Suzuki Foundation like this program, this fits very well into his interests of educating young people about nature.
Tags: conservation, education, elementary school students, native tree species, newsletter
Posted in David Suzuki, Newsletter response, climate change, conservation, forests and wild Lands, species | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
Psychologists tell us people are happy and healthier when they feel a personal connection to the natural world. Yet we’re raising a generation of kids who are know urls and logos better than what’s growing in their own backyards.
Getting into nature doesn’t have to mean memorizing the scientific names of species or extreme outdoor adventures (although it can!). It can be as small and personal as admiring a butterfly or noticing the clouds.
What are you doing to get your daily dose?
Tags: happiness, healh, kids, nature, outdoor, species
Posted in David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Digs My Garden, Green Parenting, Human Health, Newsletter response | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
Peter Dillon from Orwell, PE writes:
Having browsed the ingredients for the "Scented Candle" in the "Nature Challenge" newsletter , I read the note mentioning that beeswax was the only naturally occurring wax on Earth. Being a commercial beekeeper, I was flattered for the efforts of my bees! But am I correct in thinking carnauba wax is also a natural wax? Not that I am in the habit of referencing Wikipedia, but the following may help you come to a conclusion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnauba_wax
Lindsay responds:
Thanks for doing such a thorough read and catching this interesting fact about beeswax. Allow me to add some clarification, by the only naturally occurring wax on planet Earth, it means "it’s a true wax, which doesn’t requiring processing to become a wax." So yes, soywax is from soybeans but it has to be processed into a wax, same as the carnauba wax for waxing your car, which comes from a plant.
Tags: beeswax, carauba wax, Lindsay, Nature Challenge, newsletter, scented candle
Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Lindsay, Newsletter response | No Comments »
Friday, February 20th, 2009
Eva Zacharias from Toronto, ON writes:
I am a Senior Buyer at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) and subscribe to your newsletter. I am committed to environmentally responsible public procurement.
I belong to GIPPER, which is a voluntary organization of Public Buyers in cooperation to share and advance sustainable environmental procurement by considering the environment at all steps of the buying process, as well as the total life-cycle of the product and service.
At the LCBO, we’ve eliminated plastic bags altogether. We found that the best solution was to not even offer a complimentary plastic bag at all. We are depleting our plastic bag inventory and now only buy paper bags to give to our customers – or, alternatively, they can reuse our wine bottle cardboard boxes.
Now, as for understanding eco-labels, do you have information that could assist public buyers in making sense of labels and certifications and making more informed decisions? Please pass on my compliments to your team and your organization. My dream is to meet David Suzuki one day and shake his hand for being one of the few heroes left.
Lindsay responds:
Thanks for sharing your story about how your business is making less of a footprint. I think your success of eliminating plastic bags is very relevant and important!
As for labels, we haven’t done a whole newsletter on labels. You can find some resources at Greenerchoices.org and in David Suzuki and David R. Boyd’s book the "Green Guide " there’s a section called Labeling 101. I also enjoy the Rough Guides "Shopping with a Conscience " book.
Tags: David Suzuki's Green Guide, eco-labels, informed choices, newsletter, paper bags, plastic bags, products and services life-cycle, retailer
Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki, Green Living, Lindsay, Newsletter response, garbage, recycling, sustainability | No Comments »
Friday, February 20th, 2009
Sarah Macnabb from Vancouver, BC writes:
I’ve signed up to receive your newsletter and am very excited about the momentum behind the "green movement" that we’re seeing. However, one thing that sort of irked me was seeing the "This Month’s List For Your Fridge" section, which I was encouraged to print and post on my fridge.
Although I can appreciate the sentiment behind reinforcing small things that we can all do everyday, I think the act of using yet another piece of paper, ink from the printer and the electricity to print off a document is a little bit backwards if what we’re trying to accomplish is a reduced footprint.
It may seem like a small thing to "complain" about, but if we all waste one piece of paper, the collective mass is overwhelming. It is more powerful to remind and share with people these wonderful lists with our voices – not to mention it’s free and carbon-neutral!
Lindsay responds:
I’m glad that you enjoy the e-newsletter. I also appreciate a very sensitive look at all things "green" when analyzing even the small things. Most people, like yourself, won’t print off the list which is great – it saves trees and is really why it’s an e-newsletter. Who it does serve is some of our audience who are not computer savvy. So I can print it as well as other PDF’s for my mother for example, and send them to her. And of course sharing with the plain old English works amazingly well!
Tags: conserving energy, green living, newsletter, printing paper, saving trees
Posted in Consumer Issues, Green Living, Lindsay, Newsletter response, computers, garbage, recycling | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
Valentine’s Day is a chance to tell the people you value how much they mean to you. This year, make the pledge to express your devotion in ways that won’t harm the earth. After all, it’s the sentiment – not the “stuff” – that means the most.
Do we really need paper Valentines any more? Send e-cards to your loved ones, then go outside and hug the trees you’ve saved in the process. Trees purify air, water, and soil, support biodiversity, prevent erosion, block wind and noise, and supply food, building materials, and shade – worth showing them a lot of love on Valentine’s and every day! If you (or your kids’ teachers…) aren’t ready to dispense with paper Valentine’s cards, try making your own out of recycled scraps .
Want a little (green) romance? Here’s Lindsay’s recipe for planet-friendly candles .
Share the love! Post your planet-friendly Valentine’s ideas here.
/Gail
Tags: candles, paper, valentine's
Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Green Living, Green Parenting, Lindsay, Newsletter response, Uncategorized, garbage, recycling | 6 Comments »
Monday, January 5th, 2009
David Pritchard of Birds and Beans Inc. in Toronto, ON writes:
Thank you for including information about the importance of buying Bird Friendly® coffee in your November update . We are encouraged by your interest in the subject, however it is important to correct your use of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s Bird Friendly® trademark.
If we are to have any hope of saving our migratory bird populations, it is essential that consumers come to understand the environmental impact of their buying decisions. Unfortunately, according to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC), not all coffee sold as shade coffee is actually providing habitat to our migrating birds.
The SMBC created the Bird Friendly certification in order to allow consumers to be certain that the shade on certified coffee farms is providing homes for our migratory birds and other wildlife. They developed their certification criteria based on scientific study that includes an underlying organic certification and diverse shade conditions. Their research shows that not all shade provides good habitat.
We at Birds and Beans specialize in Bird Friendly® coffees. We are the only roaster in Canada that actively sells and promotes certified Bird Friendly Coffee. We offer the widest selection of shade grown coffees in Canada and are currently working with a group of coffee roasters in the USA to form a collective that will promote certified Bird Friendly coffee in Canada and the USA.
Meantime, here’s a list of roasters and retailers of certified Bird Friendly coffees and more detailed information about the Bird Friendly Coffee program.
Lindsay responds:
We really appreciate your effort to bring some additional clarity around coffee labeling. Our readership is becoming increasingly savvy about their consumer choices and we really enjoy the opportunity to bring them along.
Definitely in the future we can elaborate on the layers and layers of information around topics such as the Bird Friendly Coffee. In the issue you’re referencing we used the expertise of the Boreal Birds Initiative as well as doing some research of our own. Of course, you can never capture it all but this is a great way to learn.
Tags: bird friendly coffee, Boreal Birds Initiative, consumer choices, habitat, labeling, migratory birds, organic
Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Food, Newsletter response, agriculture, endangered species, species, species at risk, sustainability | No Comments »
