The Green Room

Mary Ellen from Kamloops, BC writes:

I have been enjoying Lindsay’s green recipes for cleaning. Last week I made some more laundry soap but used liquid castile soap instead of grating a soap bar. I used 1/2 cup of castile and it has "worked out." I’ve tried to find a recipe to make sure I am using enough soap, but have had no luck on the web. Can you recommend the appropriate amount of castile soap for your laundry soap recipe?

Lindsay responds:

The laundry soap rule that I’ve come across again and again is this ratio 50:25:25 for soap flakes: washing soda: Borax.

Of course this is something worth experimenting with, as it depends on your water hardness (soft water = less washing soda) and washing machine. Castile soap is amazing and can be used for many things, including the laundry soap recipe we provided. Instead though, I use soap flakes because they are significantly cheaper. Don’t be afraid to make your own signature recipe!

Cheryl from Regina, SK writes:

My children deliver paper in our neighbourhood – or should I say they did deliver. They are quitting because of the incredible amount of waste produced by paper routes – especially flyers. Is there a way to make our voice heard on this issue? Who do we contact? We do not get the paper for this very reason and have posted a "no flyers" sign on our mailbox.

Lindsay responds:

Funny you should write in about paper consumption. We just released our monthly newsletter about how being a conscious paper consumer can help Boreal Birds! You can start by 1) sign up for David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge and 2) sign the Boreal songbird petition.

You’ve instilled an excellent lesson here by having your kids re-evaluate their well-intentioned job. Simple things anyone can do is sign up for the Red Dot Campaign . This will allow you to take your name off unaddressed mail lists, like flyers. Within the newsletter link above, click on "Some things you can do right now." It’s one of the first things I did when we bought our home – get yourself off all the wasteful junk mail lists!

You’ve highlighted your frustration with newsprint. However, newsprint often makes its way to the recycling depot; it’s from recycled sources and not bleached – but flyers? Not so much. You could write to the companies that send you colorful flyers and ask that they print on 100% post-consumer waste paper with vegetable dyed inks.

See our e-newsletter above to learn about types of paper. Better yet, your family can do a total overhaul of your home’s paper use (if you haven’t already) by taking a look at the toilet paper, paper towel, tissue, and packaging that you buy. Oh yes, and change to paperless, tree-free billing too!

Teya Tamsen from Vancouver writes:

I’m wondering what the public can do to reduce the now overwhelming crow population in Vancouver? All the tiny birds are swiftly disappearing; it’s very sad to witness.

Lindsay responds:

Crows are a very smart bunch. Naturalist author David Quammen has pointed out that they will be all we have left (along with other generalists like coyotes and pigeons) if we don’t change our consumption habits and destruction of ecosystems.

Think of it this way, crows can tolerate living with us (in our concrete jungle, eating our garbage, etc.) and not many species can. I suspect if there has been a noticeable increase in numbers it’s due to last year’s garbage strike. Like the rats, crows would have benefited from a surplus of food items as people’s trashcans were overflowing!

This brings me to the low number of songbirds living in our urban green spaces and backyards. The rat population explosion (maybe you’ve had more rat sightings or seen their droppings at your bird feeder) likely resulted in more predation attempts on bird eggs and nests. The other major culprit in Vancouver and other cities more often than not is domestic cats and not crows.

I’d suggest you contact the local naturalist club as they spend a lot of time bird watching and could offer more advice.

Another suggestion would be to contact your local wild bird store because they’re experts on this sort of topic as well.

Finally, since you are aware of birds, do sign up for David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge where we give you tips to live with as small a footprint as possible.

You can of course reduce the amount of garbage you put out and ensure that your garbage bin is sealed. This will deter not just crows but coyotes, skunks and raccoons. All of this urban wildlife does provide us with a host of services – it’s just sometimes behind the scenes. We’d really miss them if they were gone, that’s for sure.

If I haven’t armed you with enough reading already, a recent report shows that many common bird species are at risk of going extinct, including crows.

Diana Cassa from Beeton, ON writes:

I’m trying to find information on reusing plastics numbered 2, 4 and 5 and hope you can help direct me. I freeze foods in them like homemade spaghetti sauce in yogurt containers.

Is it OK to freeze these plastics or should this be avoided? Is it OK to place them in the dishwasher? I’ve seen reports that say you should not freeze water bottles, although there are just as many that say this isn’t true. I don’t freeze water bottles — in fact, I don’t buy them at all — but I am wondering if the plastics I do freeze pose problems.

Lindsay writes:

You are not the first to ask about which plastics to use, reuse and recycle. We have tackled such an issue in our summer "Finding Solutions " edition of David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge newsletter . The nuts and bolts of it can be described as "2, 4, 5 keep yourself alive"! Those numbers are the safest to reuse, so check your containers.

From what I’ve researched, freezing is generally okay (I’d still stick with 2, 4, and 5 plastic types) but do not microwave plastics and do not put them in the dishwasher. For some plastic types, like #1, more chemicals are released when they are washed and reused. The good thing is that #1 is highly recyclable.

H.C. from South Surrey/White Rock writes:

I want a couch that is made with wool/latex stuffing and environmentally-friendly fabric but can’t seem to find anyone other than Upholstery Arts in Vancouver that makes anything like that. Can you direct me to any other furniture makers, particularly in the lower mainland? I’m not interested in IKEA sofas. What questions should I be asking furniture stores to ensure I am getting a more environmentally-friendly product?

Lindsay responds:

So you’re looking for furniture without VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), sustainably harvested wood, flame retardants and toxic resins? I too have been in local furniture stores asking this very question, and this indeed is a challenge no matter where you live in Canada.

You are correct about Upholstery Arts. They have sustainable products with organic cotton fabric and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) wood. I’m not familiar with other companies and here at the Foundation we can’t recommend brand or companies, so we haven’t done the research to make a list.

I think you’ll have to do some "Google" searching and see what you can find. I know from my own research that IKEA banned flame retardants in their products back in 2002, plus they tend to use lumber from tree farms and not ancient, old growth forests. BC Wood Products is another source of cool designs on Granville Island.

If you head into any bookstore, you’ll find a large selection of "green" books. The problem is trying to find one with Canadian-based information and resources. Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic (an excellent resource for just this type of information) suggests that there are many on-line sources, although they will cost you. I highly recommend her book (see page 165)!

Basic tips include:

- avoid polyurethane foam fill, especially if it’s treated with flame retardants (PBDE’s)

- solid wood is best, avoid particle board and the like because of the resins, glues, waxes and paints

- when buying wood, look for the FSC symbol (Forest Stewardship Council)

Best of luck with your search! If we all keep demanding better products, the stores should figure it out sooner than later!

Lisa-Dawn from Kitchener, ON writes:

I love Lindsay Coulter’s Recipes, and I was just wondering if she had any for moisturizers: hand lotion, body lotion, facial moisturizer, etc.

Lindsay responds:

You’ll find my suggestions for lotions and moisturizers in recipe list #4 . My personal favorites are Beauty Balm (for the face) and the cocoa butter lotion for the body.

Another tip is to make your own body scrub (with good oils) and make the body wash (with mild castile soap) - you’ll find then that you don’t need to moisturize at all!

Another thing that you’ll learn is that lotion is lotion is lotion. You don’t necessarily need hand, body and face lotion specifically, we’ve just been marketed to shop that way.

M.M. from Toronto, Ontario writes:

I’ve made a batch of Lindsay’s herbal tea shampoo recipe and I noticed that the castile soap turned into a solid once mixed with the rest of the ingredients. I bought a liquid version of an unscented baby-mild, hemp pure-castile soap of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap brand at a health food store. Is that the wrong kind? Should this soap be reacting this way? Would vegetable glycerin have been better?

Lindsay responds:

I haven’t ever had the problem you described. It sounds like you got the liquid castile soap which is great, because they do make a bar version. My batches have always remained liquid but perhaps did yours get exposed to cold? I can imagine it might harden if the solution became too cold. Did you make sure the tea cooled before you added the soap? I’ve only found that adding hot tea to the soap can turn it green, the shampoo that is, not your hair. Finally, were your proportions right? It’s a 1/4 cup liquid castile soap to 3/4 cup distilled water (maybe your water had impurities).

C.D. from Vancouver writes:

I have some old cleaners that I don’t use such as Tilex, Orange Glo, etc. What should I do with them since I now use natural cleaners? I don’t really want to dump them down the drain, but perhaps that’s the only way to get rid of them?

Lindsay replies:

Great question! So now that you’ve made the switch you need to safely dispose of the toxic stew of products. They are likely labeled as flammable, toxic, hazardous, etc. and this means they have to be treated as such — hazardous waste, that is.

Depending on your city or town, you’ll have to check in with your respective depot. Each city or town has a municipal waste facility that will accept batteries, paints, and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) like toilet bowl cleaner. See if you can drop it off there and good on you for not pouring it down the drain!

Have you considered making your own home cleaners? It’s a lot cheaper and very effective. See our issue of the David Suzuki Nature Challenge newsletter where I show you via video how to make your own and give you the recipes too. Check them out at queenofgreen.org .

Debby Harris from Richmond, BC writes:

We are a Richmond, BC company that has been producing and selling guestroom amenities (toiletries) to upscale hotels, resorts, airlines and cruise ships for 20 years. We have been concerned about the environment for numerous years. In fact, in 1998 we developed and patented a compartmentalized recycling basket called the "Waste-Not-Basket" to drive guest recycling in hotel rooms. These are now sold to over 200 properties throughout North America.

More recently, we have been introduced to a new material called PSM (or Plastarch), a biodegradable product made from cornstarch resin. Today it is being produced for products such as shower caps, utensils, golf tees, garbage bags, toothbrushes, etc. However, we are concerned about its ability to biodegrade in landfills, and certainly don’t want to produce more methane gas or other noxious emissions than if we continued providing recyclable plastic bottles for our amenity programs.

Can you guide me to an authority on plastics who can give us the straight-goods on PSM and other biodegradable materials? We certainly want to contribute to improving our environment and value your opinions.

Lindsay replies:

Your business initiative to get hotels and others recycling sounds great. There are quite a few hotels that market themselves as "green" for this very reason. With respect to your question on bioplastics, it’s a good one, although not something the Foundation has researched. I can give you some information to get you started and then you’ll need to do a bunch more reading and asking around.

Issue 1: Using cornstarch or soy instead of petroleum to make plastic uses 3-4 times less Co2, and the production uses about 68% less fossil fuels.

Issue 2: Most bioplastic bags, containers, etc. won’t biodegrade under the conditions of a backyard composter. You’d have to quiz your supplier about this in detail. How biodegradable is it? How long does it take? Can people put it in their home composter or does it need to go to a specific facility? For instance, I’ve seen claims that one product that was 100% compostable and biodegradable breaks down within 3-6 months in a commercial composter or 4-5 months in a home composter. How long will they take to breakdown in a landfill is unknwon.

Issue 3: Cornstarch-based bioplastics can be made from GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). Half the corn grown in the U.S. is GMO. This is yet another layer.

It sounds like you need to find out how long these materials take to break down in a typical landfill, unless you’re certain they will go to a specific composting facility. Best of luck with your quest!

Jennie Thorner from Vancouver, BC writes:

I would like to compile a list of companies known for testing on animals. I want to make sure I’m making wise consumer choices and would like a reliable source to tell me which companies test on animals. A list or more information would be much appreciated!

Lindsay replies:

Testing on animals is not a topic that we have become involved in to date. The good news is that I plan to profile "labeling" in general in a future David Suzuki Nature Challenge newsletter . It will translate what certain labels mean, like fair trade, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), EnergyStar, etc. It will also show you how to make your own products by using simple ingredients not tested on animals!

Personally, I was recently doing a search for such a list and found one in a book called "The Rough Guide to Shopping with a Conscience." Animal testing still happens today and there is no regulation around the labeling of "cruelty-free," "no animal testing," "not tested on animals," etc. The bottom line is to look for the White Rabbit logo .

Below is the long list I copied from the book, but I’d suggest you get the source as it has more detail and an explanation of how they derived the list. Also, because the David Suzuki Foundation is a non-profit organization we cannot recommend brands that we are for or against. You see, we just don’t test them or watchdog the companies. It’s really up to you to decide.

If this sort of thing interests you, I’d suggest you pick up "Not Just A Pretty Face ." I just finished it on the weekend and it’s a very empowering read! So, who tests on animals as listed in the book "The Rough Guide to Shopping with a Conscience."

* Chesebrough-Ponds: makes Ponds, Vaseline
* Church & Dwight: makes Aim, Arm & Hammer, Close-Up, Nair
* Clairol: makes Aussie, Daily Defense, Herbal Essences, Infusium 23
* Clorox: ArmourAll, Glad, Liquid Plumber, Pine-Sol, Soft Scrub, SOS, Tilex
* Colgate Palmolive: Ajax, Fab, Mennen, Palmolive, Soft Soap, Speed Stick
* COTY: Adidas, Calvin Klein, Glow, The Healing Garden, Jovan, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacob, Rimmel, Stetson
* Dial: Purex
* Helene Curtis Industries: Finesse, Salon Selectives, Thermasilk
* Johnson & Johnson: Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Neutrogena
* Kimberley-Clark Corp: Cottonelle, Huggies, Kleenex, Kotex, Pull-Ups, Scott Paper
* L’Oreal USA: Biotherm, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Lancome, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren, Redken, Soft Sheen, Vichy
* Malaleauca
* Olay
* Pantene
* Pfizer: Ben Gay, Listerine, Lubriderm, Plax, Visine
* Playtex: Baby Magic, Banana Boat, Ogilvie
* Proctor & Gamble: Cover Girl, Crest, Iams, Max Factor, Tide
* Reckitt Benckiser: Easy Off, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Old English, Resolve, Spray N’ Wash, Veet, Woolite, Coppertone, Dr. Scholl’s
* S.C. Johnson: Drano, Edge, Fantastik, Glade, OFF!, Oust, Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Skintimate, Windex, Ziploc
* 3M: Post-it, Scotch
* Unilever: Axe, Dove, Lever, Suave