So, a while ago I said I would post some tips on how you can reduce your carbon footprint without giving up your car. Well, here is the first of many! (I decided to spread out the posts because, well, 365 posts is a lot of ideas!)
Don't idle your car. If a stop is longer than 10 seconds it will actually save you gas. The federal government's Office of Energy Efficiency says the average Canadian idles their car for five minutes a day, not counting warming it up on cold mornings (which happens a lot on the winter -but apparently cars only need to be warmed up for about 30 seconds before they are good to go!). But cutting that idling, you’ll save about 42 litres a year - the equivalent of 101 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions.
That seems like sound savings for my wallet and the environment, and when I go get "Clifford" (my car) out of winter hibernation, I will be sure not to idle for more than 10 seconds!
While burning oil and gas will never be sustainable, eco-friendly driving habits are a good start.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Day 58: Sugar, oh Honey Honey
I'm definitely a stress-eater and my favorite snack is something sweet! My jelly-bean binge and post on Cutting Calories yesterday made me wonder about the environmental impact of sugar production. Is my sweet tooth fueling environmental degradation?
Sadly, the answer is yes.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) about 145 million tons of sugar are produced annually in some 120 countries. A 2004 WWF report called "Sugar and the Environment" shows that sugar may be responsible for the loss of more biodiversity than any other crop due to the delicate tropical ecosystems of a lot of sugar-producing countries, deforestation and destruction of habitat to make room for plantations and intensive irrigation and use of chemicals. What's worse is that our growing collective sweet-tooth is fueling further natural habitat destruction and an estimated 5-6 million hectares of of cropland is lost annually due to severe erosion and soil degradation (sugar cane is commonly grown on slopes which contribute to high erosion rates). The intensive irrigation required for sugar crops has resulted in many dammed rivers and flooded wild land, destroying the homes of many animals and heavily impacting local ecosystems.
One extreme example is the Great Barrier Reef off the West Coast of Australia. Once a thriving under-water ecosystem, the Reef has been extremely influenced not only by our changing climate, where a one degree change in water temperature has caused severe bleaching, but also by pesticide run-off from sugar farms. Moreover, in some other parts of the planet, such as Papua New Guinea, soil fertility has dropped 30% since the 1980s due to decades of heavy sugar cane production.
On our end of the cycle we also see the negative of effects of sugar consumption from skyrocketing obesity and diabetes rates.
But, the good news is that there are things we can do to collectively make a difference -this will be good for the environment and our health!
After reading this article, I was surprise to learn that brown sugar was the worst culprit of the sugars! I had always thought that it was less processed than white sugar and therefore ... not as bad for me as processed white sugar! If you want to know more about how different sugars are processed, I recommend the above article as a good starting point!
In the end, the author of the greenliving article concludes that out of the different varieties of sugar, raw-sugar, the least-processed of the lot, has a smaller impact on the environment due to less waste accumulated through processing than white or brown. However, the best thing we can do is to actually eat less sugar since we don't really need to eat highly processed sugars to survive, and, eating all these refined sugars is bad for us! The author writes that it is more about our rates of consumption than the type of sugar that we buy and that we can get all the sugar we need from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables.
So, I think it is time for me to try and reign-in my sweet tooth -what do you think?
Sources:
http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/sugar.htm
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/73/1/White-sugar-vs-raw-sugar.html
WWF's Sugar and the Environment
Sadly, the answer is yes.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) about 145 million tons of sugar are produced annually in some 120 countries. A 2004 WWF report called "Sugar and the Environment" shows that sugar may be responsible for the loss of more biodiversity than any other crop due to the delicate tropical ecosystems of a lot of sugar-producing countries, deforestation and destruction of habitat to make room for plantations and intensive irrigation and use of chemicals. What's worse is that our growing collective sweet-tooth is fueling further natural habitat destruction and an estimated 5-6 million hectares of of cropland is lost annually due to severe erosion and soil degradation (sugar cane is commonly grown on slopes which contribute to high erosion rates). The intensive irrigation required for sugar crops has resulted in many dammed rivers and flooded wild land, destroying the homes of many animals and heavily impacting local ecosystems.
One extreme example is the Great Barrier Reef off the West Coast of Australia. Once a thriving under-water ecosystem, the Reef has been extremely influenced not only by our changing climate, where a one degree change in water temperature has caused severe bleaching, but also by pesticide run-off from sugar farms. Moreover, in some other parts of the planet, such as Papua New Guinea, soil fertility has dropped 30% since the 1980s due to decades of heavy sugar cane production.
On our end of the cycle we also see the negative of effects of sugar consumption from skyrocketing obesity and diabetes rates.
But, the good news is that there are things we can do to collectively make a difference -this will be good for the environment and our health!
After reading this article, I was surprise to learn that brown sugar was the worst culprit of the sugars! I had always thought that it was less processed than white sugar and therefore ... not as bad for me as processed white sugar! If you want to know more about how different sugars are processed, I recommend the above article as a good starting point!
In the end, the author of the greenliving article concludes that out of the different varieties of sugar, raw-sugar, the least-processed of the lot, has a smaller impact on the environment due to less waste accumulated through processing than white or brown. However, the best thing we can do is to actually eat less sugar since we don't really need to eat highly processed sugars to survive, and, eating all these refined sugars is bad for us! The author writes that it is more about our rates of consumption than the type of sugar that we buy and that we can get all the sugar we need from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables.
So, I think it is time for me to try and reign-in my sweet tooth -what do you think?
Sources:
http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/sugar.htm
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/73/1/White-sugar-vs-raw-sugar.html
WWF's Sugar and the Environment
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Day 57: Cut Calories
I may or may not have consumed my weight in jelly beans today and, sure enough, as I was browsing through David Suzuki's Green Guide for inspiration for a post tonight, I come across a section about consuming fewer calories. Automatic guilt trip.
However, as I read on, it had some neat things to think about:
-More calories takes more energy to produce. Substituting higher quality foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains and nuts for example) for chips and *sigh* jelly beans helps cut out bad calories and highly processed foods. My housemate started drying apple and pear slices in her dehydrator and they are so delicious and 100% natural made from local organic apples! I think I may have found a wonderful Jelly Bean substitute!
-One 591 ml bottle of Coke has the equivalent of fifteen spoonfuls of sugar.
-An organic apple generally costs less than a chocolate bar and it has less packaging as well as a smaller ecological footprint.
- In the UK between 1995 and 2006, calorie intake increased 17% and the average Canadian ate 18% more calories in 2002 than in 1991.
-Less calories means less land needs to be cleared to raise the food (or...the food for the food), less energy is required, less chemicals/pesticides are used, less packaging and waste is created and... less material is needed to make clothes for our increasing waistlines.
That is definitely some food for thought. Those jelly beans that I ate were probably 300 empty calories that probably took a lot of resources to make and didn't really benefit me in any way. So next time I am craving a sweet I think I will grab some apple chips or a slice of bread and I will also make sure that I eat appropriate meals when I am hungry instead of snacking on junk food! It will be good for me and the environment!
However, as I read on, it had some neat things to think about:
-More calories takes more energy to produce. Substituting higher quality foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains and nuts for example) for chips and *sigh* jelly beans helps cut out bad calories and highly processed foods. My housemate started drying apple and pear slices in her dehydrator and they are so delicious and 100% natural made from local organic apples! I think I may have found a wonderful Jelly Bean substitute!
-One 591 ml bottle of Coke has the equivalent of fifteen spoonfuls of sugar.
-An organic apple generally costs less than a chocolate bar and it has less packaging as well as a smaller ecological footprint.
- In the UK between 1995 and 2006, calorie intake increased 17% and the average Canadian ate 18% more calories in 2002 than in 1991.
-Less calories means less land needs to be cleared to raise the food (or...the food for the food), less energy is required, less chemicals/pesticides are used, less packaging and waste is created and... less material is needed to make clothes for our increasing waistlines.
That is definitely some food for thought. Those jelly beans that I ate were probably 300 empty calories that probably took a lot of resources to make and didn't really benefit me in any way. So next time I am craving a sweet I think I will grab some apple chips or a slice of bread and I will also make sure that I eat appropriate meals when I am hungry instead of snacking on junk food! It will be good for me and the environment!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Day 56: Light Sticks Not BICs
Some evenings when I am just relaxing at home doing some integral calculus, I like to light a candle to help me unwind after a busy day at Engineering School.
However, I discovered that there are a few things wrong with this picture Candles are an entire topic on their own that I will cover another day -today I am going to write about lighters.
Modern permutations of the lighter are generally considered disposable and once they are empty they will likely end up in landfills to join their plastic-bag friends for an eternity of slowly photodegrading into smaller, toxic particles. An easy fix to this problem is using unbleached matches made from recycled cardboard! They are biodegradable and made from recycled material - it's a win-win situation!
However, I discovered that there are a few things wrong with this picture Candles are an entire topic on their own that I will cover another day -today I am going to write about lighters.
Modern permutations of the lighter are generally considered disposable and once they are empty they will likely end up in landfills to join their plastic-bag friends for an eternity of slowly photodegrading into smaller, toxic particles. An easy fix to this problem is using unbleached matches made from recycled cardboard! They are biodegradable and made from recycled material - it's a win-win situation!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Day 55: How to Store Your Produce 101
I love the David Suzuki Foundation's "Queen of Green," Lindsay Coulter, she has so many great ideas on what the average person can do to be more "green."
One of her videos (available by sifting through youtube videos!) is about how to store produce. She estimates that the average Canadian household throws out about $600 worth of produce every year! Imagine what that looks like and the associated carbon cost! I think that is about what I spend on groceries for 5 months!
I was completely unaware of how different foods interacted with one another in the fridge until a recent conversation I had with my housemate. So, this post is related to my post from Day 38 about stopping food waste and is about how to store your produce to keep it fresh for longer and avoid food waste through spoilage!
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1) Don't refrigerate things like onions, garlic or potatoes -they will last longer if they are kept out of the fridge and stored in a cool dark place (remember your Grandmother's or parent's root cellar or potato box?)
1) Don't refrigerate things like onions, garlic or potatoes -they will last longer if they are kept out of the fridge and stored in a cool dark place (remember your Grandmother's or parent's root cellar or potato box?)
2) Did you know fruits like apples, avacados, pears, bananas, tomatoes and peaches emit ethylene gas, a repining agent? Therefore, they should not be stored in the fridge next to or in the same compartment as veggies like broccoli, eggplant, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini etc. as they will cause them to spoil more quickly. However, a cool thing about these "gas-emitters" is that if you have something that you need to ripen quickly just pop it into a brown paper bag with, say, a ripe banana to help it ripen faster! She also mentions that these gas emitters don't even really need to be refrigerated unless they are getting really ripe and you need to hang on to them for another day or two.
3) Tomatoes are very cold-sensitive and putting them in the fridge will cause them to go all grainy and mushy (gross) and it takes away the flavor.
3) Fresh fruits and veggies are still "breathing" -so never put them in a plastic bag or something without air-circulation since that will cause them to go bad!
4) Don't wash anything or pull stems until you are ready to eat the produce!
Lindsay Coulter and the David Suzuki Foundation have even produced a neat little sheet about how to store different foods and it is available on the DSF website (or click here to go directly to the sheet).
I think this a great and easy way to help reduce food waste, and it's something that can save you money!
What do you think -did you know about these tips before? I definitely never thought about storing different foods together and the chemical interactions that would occur!
What do you think -did you know about these tips before? I definitely never thought about storing different foods together and the chemical interactions that would occur!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Day 54: Downshift
Downshifting is term more commonly used in the UK and Australia. It entails the concept of living in voluntary simplicity (usually with sustainability in mind -although not always the primary focus or motivator). People who follow this route are also called "post-materialists."
The first thing that comes to mind for me is Christopher McCandless, or more commonly known as "Alexander Supertramp", the subject of Jon Krakauer's book Into the Wild. I also noticed about a month ago, one of my Facebook friends had decided to give away most of his possessions to live a simpler life -what an enlightened soul!
What do you think about when you hear "downshift" or "post-materialism"? Now, I don't mean that you should go as far as giving away all your possession or go live in an abandoned bus in Alaska. I suppose what I am thinking here is that I should only have what I use and need, and everything else could benefit somebody else.
There are a lot of reasons that people "downshift" and one such reason is a sort of "back to basics" approach to living a more balanced life with reduced stress - this idea kind of ties in with my post from Day 36 and Day 4. We (or at least I!) have so much stuff these days that it seems to make life super stressful and complicated, and then we try to remedy this stress by getting more stuff to make us happy!
I must say that my pledge from Day 36 is not going as well as I had hoped. While I am a bit more organized than before, I still keep losing things everywhere! This morning, for instance, I had a panic attack because I couldn't find my wallet and I had to sift through mounds of junk to find it!
So, I think organization is not the only thing I need to think about, I think I need to downsize and actively think about what I really need and what is just clutter that somebody else could use. For example, I took an online Physics High School course a few years ago and still have the textbook! The book is way too basic for what I am doing now in Engineering, so I think it is time to return it and get my $100 deposit back! There are many other things that I still hang on to for one reason or another that I am sure somebody else could benefit from.
I wonder what is the carbon footprint of that textbook gathering dust on my bookshelf?
This one article I read had some really neat points about what we consider "tradition" in North America which are really just commercially-driven events. The article cites Father's Day (do we really need to have a special day to remind us to cherish and honour our fathers?) and diamond wedding rings as examples. The author of the article writes that the tradition of having diamond wedding rings is only about 100 years old, and was in fact instigated by a diamond trading company called De Beers.
Anyways, my challenge for myself (and for you!) is to downsize and donate/return (or whatever) items that I no longer use that they can be used by others who need them!
What do you think? What will you do?
The first thing that comes to mind for me is Christopher McCandless, or more commonly known as "Alexander Supertramp", the subject of Jon Krakauer's book Into the Wild. I also noticed about a month ago, one of my Facebook friends had decided to give away most of his possessions to live a simpler life -what an enlightened soul!
What do you think about when you hear "downshift" or "post-materialism"? Now, I don't mean that you should go as far as giving away all your possession or go live in an abandoned bus in Alaska. I suppose what I am thinking here is that I should only have what I use and need, and everything else could benefit somebody else.
There are a lot of reasons that people "downshift" and one such reason is a sort of "back to basics" approach to living a more balanced life with reduced stress - this idea kind of ties in with my post from Day 36 and Day 4. We (or at least I!) have so much stuff these days that it seems to make life super stressful and complicated, and then we try to remedy this stress by getting more stuff to make us happy!
I must say that my pledge from Day 36 is not going as well as I had hoped. While I am a bit more organized than before, I still keep losing things everywhere! This morning, for instance, I had a panic attack because I couldn't find my wallet and I had to sift through mounds of junk to find it!
So, I think organization is not the only thing I need to think about, I think I need to downsize and actively think about what I really need and what is just clutter that somebody else could use. For example, I took an online Physics High School course a few years ago and still have the textbook! The book is way too basic for what I am doing now in Engineering, so I think it is time to return it and get my $100 deposit back! There are many other things that I still hang on to for one reason or another that I am sure somebody else could benefit from.
I wonder what is the carbon footprint of that textbook gathering dust on my bookshelf?
This one article I read had some really neat points about what we consider "tradition" in North America which are really just commercially-driven events. The article cites Father's Day (do we really need to have a special day to remind us to cherish and honour our fathers?) and diamond wedding rings as examples. The author of the article writes that the tradition of having diamond wedding rings is only about 100 years old, and was in fact instigated by a diamond trading company called De Beers.
Anyways, my challenge for myself (and for you!) is to downsize and donate/return (or whatever) items that I no longer use that they can be used by others who need them!
What do you think? What will you do?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Day 53: Don't Standbye...
...your computer overnight!
I'm a culprit of this one since I got my new laptop this summer. It is really easy to just close the lid at the end of the day, which causes my laptop to either sleep(standby) or hibernate depending on if it is plugged in or not. If you don't know what yours does, you can see and change power settings in your computer's control panel.
When you are done with your computer for the day, you generally have three options (Macs only have 2):
1) Standby
2) Hibernate
3) Shutdown
Standby is equivalent to zoning out in class. You computer is still running applications and power is feeding into your computer's memory, although hard drive power is minimized and the screen is off. While the computer is able to "wake-up" quickly (just like me in Linear Algebra), standby mode uses a lot of power and should be avoided or used only when you are away from the computer for short periods of time. Another thing that one of my friends told me is that even though it appears that your computer is off, it is still drawing battery power. So, if you don't have your laptop plugged in and you leave it on standbye, when the battery runs out you will lose all your work! yikes!
Hibernating seems to be like taking a quick power nap when you get home from work or school. All the documents and programs will still be there, but power is essentially shut off to the computer. Like me after a nap, it will take the computer a little longer to shake-off the drowsiness after hibernating. This isn't a bad option, but in some cases, hibernating can cause improper start-up or problems when starting back up.
Shutdown is more like a proper night's rest. It powers off the computer completely and is the best option for overnight or if you are away from your computer for a while.
So, at the end of the day I will shutdown my computer and I will continue to remember my post from Day 5: to unplug it or switch off the power bar it is plugged into!
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/tabletpc/getstarted/standby.mspx
http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-computing/articles/39322.aspx
I'm a culprit of this one since I got my new laptop this summer. It is really easy to just close the lid at the end of the day, which causes my laptop to either sleep(standby) or hibernate depending on if it is plugged in or not. If you don't know what yours does, you can see and change power settings in your computer's control panel.
When you are done with your computer for the day, you generally have three options (Macs only have 2):
1) Standby
2) Hibernate
3) Shutdown
Standby is equivalent to zoning out in class. You computer is still running applications and power is feeding into your computer's memory, although hard drive power is minimized and the screen is off. While the computer is able to "wake-up" quickly (just like me in Linear Algebra), standby mode uses a lot of power and should be avoided or used only when you are away from the computer for short periods of time. Another thing that one of my friends told me is that even though it appears that your computer is off, it is still drawing battery power. So, if you don't have your laptop plugged in and you leave it on standbye, when the battery runs out you will lose all your work! yikes!
Hibernating seems to be like taking a quick power nap when you get home from work or school. All the documents and programs will still be there, but power is essentially shut off to the computer. Like me after a nap, it will take the computer a little longer to shake-off the drowsiness after hibernating. This isn't a bad option, but in some cases, hibernating can cause improper start-up or problems when starting back up.
Shutdown is more like a proper night's rest. It powers off the computer completely and is the best option for overnight or if you are away from your computer for a while.
So, at the end of the day I will shutdown my computer and I will continue to remember my post from Day 5: to unplug it or switch off the power bar it is plugged into!
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/tabletpc/getstarted/standby.mspx
http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-computing/articles/39322.aspx
Monday, February 21, 2011
Day 52: Outdoor Ethics -Part 4: Pack It In, Pack More Out!
This past summer my boyfriend and I visited the Niagara Glen for some bouldering and we had a great time in the forest among the boulders and trees. However, what we didn't appreciate was the insane amount of garbage in this beautiful spot!
So, once our arms were pumped and spent from crushing some problems, we set to work for about 3 hours picking up trash as we wandered through the area. In the end, we picked up and packed out about two large trash bags full of garbage and recyclables.
Essentially, today's post is the proverbial "don't litter" but it goes further than that, it really is about leaving places cleaner than you found them. Be sure to not leave anything behind when you are enjoying the great outdoors, but also step up to the plate and pack out litter and recyclables (even if it's not your garbage)! This ensures that the garbage doesn't get blow into streams and oceans, photo-degrade into toxic particles in the soil, get consumed by animals or tarnish a beautiful area!
So, once our arms were pumped and spent from crushing some problems, we set to work for about 3 hours picking up trash as we wandered through the area. In the end, we picked up and packed out about two large trash bags full of garbage and recyclables.
Essentially, today's post is the proverbial "don't litter" but it goes further than that, it really is about leaving places cleaner than you found them. Be sure to not leave anything behind when you are enjoying the great outdoors, but also step up to the plate and pack out litter and recyclables (even if it's not your garbage)! This ensures that the garbage doesn't get blow into streams and oceans, photo-degrade into toxic particles in the soil, get consumed by animals or tarnish a beautiful area!
 |
| Climbing in the beautiful Niagara Glen! |
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Day 51: Pretty Woman (or Man!)
I decided to take a break from my "Outdoor Ethics" series for those of you who aren't all that outdoorsy, but I have a few more OE topics to come!
Today's topic is one that is a bit foreign to me, but I think it is an important one to address: makeup and fragrances!
Most of you know that even though I am in my twenties I am still a "Tom-Boy" and only wear makeup on special occasions -however, I do have a small collection of little plastic bottles filled with different beauty products. These little bottles are not refillable and the majority are not recyclable. Moreover, according to beauty experts, makeup should not be kept for more than a year.
I know a few of my friends won't even run to the corner store without their "face" on and with all that makeup there is bound to be a lot of waste in the form of containers, applicators, removers, etc.
But, that's not the end of it.
The more I looked into this topic, the more shocked I became about what I learned. Cosmetics do not fall under the jurisdiction oft the FDA or Health Canada. This means that nobody is really monitoring the quality or safety of these products. Cosmetic manufacturers are not forced to fully disclose ingredients of fragrance body products and you almost need a chemical engineering degree to decipher the ingredients of makeup! According to an article on the David Suzuki Foundation website, many of these chemicals are linked to serious health concerns.
So what is a consumer to do?
Well, we need to remember that our skin is an organ too and that whatever we put on it will most likely be absorbed into our system.
There are a few things you can do:
1) Wear less makeup and let your inner beauty radiate! This means less packaging and less chemicals!
2) Not convinced by 1)? Well, look for makeup and fragrances with simpler labeling or that are certified Organic, 100% natural and cruelty-free.
3) Buy brands that come will less packaging! Shoppers Drug Mart carries a brand, Physicians Formula, that has an organic line of 100% natural makeup. What I like about their products is that they have minimalistic packaging and a lot more of their makeup-containers were made from paper (they claim 93% less plastic than a traditional compact and that their brushes are 100% recyclable)
4) Demand to know more! If you follow this link you will be directed to the David Suzuki Foundation Website where you can send a message of concern to Canadian Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq, and ask her to change the regulations regarding the disclosure of fragrance ingredients.
5) Make your own scent by mixing natural oils and fragrances, or picking different plants (just google "make your own perfume" and a ton of sites come up!)
Great places to shop for cosmetics and body-care products are stores like The Body Shop and Lush, and if you bring your own bag or container, you can skip on packaging for things like soaps and bars! These stores promote animal and human rights, as well as encouraging patrons to protect the planet.
So, as for me, I am going to continue with my minimalistic makeup, but when I do need to "gussy-up" I will be sure to use natural/organic products that are cruelty-free and come in eco-conscious packaging!
Sources:
http://action.davidsuzuki.org/parfum
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52798.asp
http://dailyuw.com/2007/5/3/make-up-doesnt-have-to-re-make-the-environment/
Today's topic is one that is a bit foreign to me, but I think it is an important one to address: makeup and fragrances!
Most of you know that even though I am in my twenties I am still a "Tom-Boy" and only wear makeup on special occasions -however, I do have a small collection of little plastic bottles filled with different beauty products. These little bottles are not refillable and the majority are not recyclable. Moreover, according to beauty experts, makeup should not be kept for more than a year.
I know a few of my friends won't even run to the corner store without their "face" on and with all that makeup there is bound to be a lot of waste in the form of containers, applicators, removers, etc.
But, that's not the end of it.
The more I looked into this topic, the more shocked I became about what I learned. Cosmetics do not fall under the jurisdiction oft the FDA or Health Canada. This means that nobody is really monitoring the quality or safety of these products. Cosmetic manufacturers are not forced to fully disclose ingredients of fragrance body products and you almost need a chemical engineering degree to decipher the ingredients of makeup! According to an article on the David Suzuki Foundation website, many of these chemicals are linked to serious health concerns.
So what is a consumer to do?
Well, we need to remember that our skin is an organ too and that whatever we put on it will most likely be absorbed into our system.
There are a few things you can do:
1) Wear less makeup and let your inner beauty radiate! This means less packaging and less chemicals!
2) Not convinced by 1)? Well, look for makeup and fragrances with simpler labeling or that are certified Organic, 100% natural and cruelty-free.
3) Buy brands that come will less packaging! Shoppers Drug Mart carries a brand, Physicians Formula, that has an organic line of 100% natural makeup. What I like about their products is that they have minimalistic packaging and a lot more of their makeup-containers were made from paper (they claim 93% less plastic than a traditional compact and that their brushes are 100% recyclable)
4) Demand to know more! If you follow this link you will be directed to the David Suzuki Foundation Website where you can send a message of concern to Canadian Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq, and ask her to change the regulations regarding the disclosure of fragrance ingredients.
5) Make your own scent by mixing natural oils and fragrances, or picking different plants (just google "make your own perfume" and a ton of sites come up!)
Great places to shop for cosmetics and body-care products are stores like The Body Shop and Lush, and if you bring your own bag or container, you can skip on packaging for things like soaps and bars! These stores promote animal and human rights, as well as encouraging patrons to protect the planet.
So, as for me, I am going to continue with my minimalistic makeup, but when I do need to "gussy-up" I will be sure to use natural/organic products that are cruelty-free and come in eco-conscious packaging!
Sources:
http://action.davidsuzuki.org/parfum
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52798.asp
http://dailyuw.com/2007/5/3/make-up-doesnt-have-to-re-make-the-environment/
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Day 50: Outdoor Ethics - Part 3: How to "Go" in the Woods
So, if you are travelling in the outdoors for any period of time... chances are that at some point, you will have to "go"! But how? and where?
Well, first things first - if there is an outhouse, use it! No matter how smelly it is, it is the best option.
What if there is no outhouse?
Well, is some places you may have to pack it out, be sure to refer to any guidelines of places that you may be staying. Check out this article about hiking to Conundrum Hot Springs in Colorado!
Otherwise, other options depend on how long you are staying and if you are going number one or number two.
Urine directly has little effect on vegetation, however, it may attract wildlife which are attracted to the salts. These critters may defoliate plants or dig up the soil, so the best choice here is to try and urinate on rocks, pines needles or gravel, and, if you can, dilute it by spraying some water on the location.
For solid waste, there are a couple of options for different situations.
If you are just passing through the area the best thing to do is to make a cathole. A cathole is just like what it sounds, a hole in the ground which, for humans, should be about 6 inches deep and 4-5 inches in diameter. Location selection is very important for catholes and you want to make sure that they are at least 70 meters away from water, trails and camp. When you are finished the waste should be buried and then disguised with natural material. If you are camping in a large group or staying more than one night, be sure to disperse catholes (dispersing human waste, rather than concentrating it, helps in decomposition).
Some more things to consider about catholes:
1) Try and find a site with deep, organic soil (the organisms in the soil will help decompose the waste).
2) Try and find a site that will get a lot of sunlight, as this also aids in decomposition.
3) Choose an elevated site to try and keep your feces from running off into bodies of water!
You may have heard about Latrines, and, according to my research, they are best used for large groups that are staying in the same place for a while or when you have young children along. The concentration of human waste will slow down the decomposition, so choosing a location is especially important (the location requirements are the same as for catholes).
Another consideration is toilet paper! Use it sparingly and use plain old, unscented toilet paper. It decomposes more quickly when buried in the soil (just putting it under a rock doesn't count) than when left out to the open air. In arid lands, it is best to pack out toilet paper in a plastic bag since the dry environment doesn't promote decomposition.
Anyways, despite the fact that I have always considered myself a fairly competent outdoors-woman, I sure learned a lot about "going" in the woods today, and hopefully you did too! I will be sure to employ what I learned on my next back country trip! If you are interested and want to learn more, take a look at my sources!
Any thoughts or suggestions? Did you already know these things?
Sources:
http://hikethru.com/hiking-information/backyard-science/toilet-paper-decomposition
http://www.leavenotrace.ca/principle-dispose-waste-properly
Well, first things first - if there is an outhouse, use it! No matter how smelly it is, it is the best option.
What if there is no outhouse?
Well, is some places you may have to pack it out, be sure to refer to any guidelines of places that you may be staying. Check out this article about hiking to Conundrum Hot Springs in Colorado!
Otherwise, other options depend on how long you are staying and if you are going number one or number two.
Urine directly has little effect on vegetation, however, it may attract wildlife which are attracted to the salts. These critters may defoliate plants or dig up the soil, so the best choice here is to try and urinate on rocks, pines needles or gravel, and, if you can, dilute it by spraying some water on the location.
For solid waste, there are a couple of options for different situations.
If you are just passing through the area the best thing to do is to make a cathole. A cathole is just like what it sounds, a hole in the ground which, for humans, should be about 6 inches deep and 4-5 inches in diameter. Location selection is very important for catholes and you want to make sure that they are at least 70 meters away from water, trails and camp. When you are finished the waste should be buried and then disguised with natural material. If you are camping in a large group or staying more than one night, be sure to disperse catholes (dispersing human waste, rather than concentrating it, helps in decomposition).
Some more things to consider about catholes:
1) Try and find a site with deep, organic soil (the organisms in the soil will help decompose the waste).
2) Try and find a site that will get a lot of sunlight, as this also aids in decomposition.
3) Choose an elevated site to try and keep your feces from running off into bodies of water!
You may have heard about Latrines, and, according to my research, they are best used for large groups that are staying in the same place for a while or when you have young children along. The concentration of human waste will slow down the decomposition, so choosing a location is especially important (the location requirements are the same as for catholes).
Another consideration is toilet paper! Use it sparingly and use plain old, unscented toilet paper. It decomposes more quickly when buried in the soil (just putting it under a rock doesn't count) than when left out to the open air. In arid lands, it is best to pack out toilet paper in a plastic bag since the dry environment doesn't promote decomposition.
Anyways, despite the fact that I have always considered myself a fairly competent outdoors-woman, I sure learned a lot about "going" in the woods today, and hopefully you did too! I will be sure to employ what I learned on my next back country trip! If you are interested and want to learn more, take a look at my sources!
Any thoughts or suggestions? Did you already know these things?
Sources:
http://hikethru.com/hiking-information/backyard-science/toilet-paper-decomposition
http://www.leavenotrace.ca/principle-dispose-waste-properly
Friday, February 18, 2011
Day 49: Outdoor Ethics -Part 2 : Leave What You Find Behind
I was paging through an old National Geographic a while back and it showed pictures from two different sites in Petrified Forest National Park. One of the sites was one that was often visited by tourists, and it looked a lot like this:
 |
| Internet Photo |
Another site, that was much more remote and received very little tourist traffic, looked more like this:
 |
| Internet Photo |
It's easy to spot the difference between the two photos. All of the smaller fragments were taken as souvenirs from the more frequently visited site, and so only enormous heavy chunks of petrified wood remained. The less-visited site still had thousands of the small fragments left for all of the future visitors to enjoy.
While taking a flower or rock, or maybe even carving your initials into a tree, may not seem like a big deal, it becomes a big deal when everybody does it and it has a tremendous impact on the landscape.
So, be sure to leave natural and/or historic objects for others to enjoy. Things like antlers, interesting stones, flowers and petrified wood add to the mood of the area and are fun for others to "discover". Also, remember that in National Parks, and many other areas, it is illegal to remove natural or historic objects!
But, on the other hand, don't be afraid to pack out garbage and litter, even if it isn't yours!
So take a picture or draw a sketch, but leave the natural wonders for everyone to enjoy and, of course, leave the landscape as undisturbed as possible so you don't interfere with natural processes (such as picking plants that are slow to reproduce or digging trenches that promote topsoil erosion).
I know this series of posts seems a little off-topic for my blog, but I think they are important topics and that preserving the natural world and its wonders is also a central part of sustainability!
What do you think?
I know this series of posts seems a little off-topic for my blog, but I think they are important topics and that preserving the natural world and its wonders is also a central part of sustainability!
What do you think?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Day 48: Outdoor Ethics - Part 1: Tread Lightly
It's reading week here at UBC, which has given me a bit of time off from mathematics and physics to think about all the outdoor adventures that I would like to do in the near future!
Outdoorsy-ness is a growing trend and alpine sports, skiing, snowboard, climbing and backpacking are becoming more popular and accessible, and thus the once secluded crags and back-country trails are becoming central social hubs.
A lot of you are probably as outdoorsy as I am and enjoy hiking, biking, skiing, etc... in our wonderful outdoors. But this means that we have a responsibility to protect the environment by upholding a certain attitude and code of ethics, thus being good ambassadors for our outdoor pursuits. My post on ski/snowboard wax yesterday really got me thinking about the impact that my other outdoor sports have on the environment.
I have recently become a member of Leave No Trace Canada which has inspired me to write a series of posts about what we, as outdoor enthusiasts, can do to help preserve the pristine outdoor environment. Even if you aren't a super keen-outdoors person, and just enjoy the occasional walk in the park, be sure the to read the next couple of posts!
Part 1: Tread Lightly
This is applicable to hiking, walking, backpacking, biking, horse-riding etc.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces and don't take short-cuts. This means travel on rock, gravel, snow and stay on established trails and campsites (even when it is muddy!) While established trails themselves are an impact on the land, they are a necessary response to people traveling in the outdoors and the back-country. Concentrating travel on these developed trails reduces the development of multiple routes that scar the landscape and erode soil. When travelling on established trails and popular areas, be sure to stay on trail, walk in single file and keep campsites concentrated -try to stay in areas where there is no vegetation.
Good campsites are not made, they are found -it is not necessary to make site alterations. Camp at least 70 steps away from lakes or streams so access routes are free for wildlife. Try to keep to already high-impacted locations so that your small footprint will not be noticeable. In pristine areas, spread out and try to avoid repetitive traffic. When breaking camp, be sure to "naturalize it" and return it to the state it was in before you came.
When travelling in pristine areas, disperse use to prevent creating trails and avoid places where impacts are just beginning. Some vegetation is more robust than other types and thus more resistant to trampling, however, alpine vegetation is very fragile. The Adirondacks website has a really moving description of the struggle for alpine vegetation to survive:
Picture yourself hanging from a ledge dangling only from your very fingertips, frozen by cold and buffeted by wind. Now include an unknowing hiker stepping on your fingertips. This is life as an alpine plant in the Adirondacks.
These fragile ecosystems are vulnerable to disturbances and trampling and it may take decades for it to recover from the passing of one single hiking group! The same is true for the delicate Cryptobiotic crust in desert environments -so be sure to tread lightly by remaining on established trails, or following guidelines set by the parks suitable for off-trail travel if it is necessary.
While I won't be able to make it out to the back country anytime soon, these guidelines are really good practice for anything outdoors. What do you think? Do you have any other suggestions for "treading lightly"?
Be sure to keep posted for the next few days with the next few topics pertaining to outdoor sports!
Sources:
http://www.leavenotrace.ca/principle-travel-camp-durable-surfaces
http://www.adk.org/trails/High_Peaks_Hike-Backpack.aspx
Outdoorsy-ness is a growing trend and alpine sports, skiing, snowboard, climbing and backpacking are becoming more popular and accessible, and thus the once secluded crags and back-country trails are becoming central social hubs.
A lot of you are probably as outdoorsy as I am and enjoy hiking, biking, skiing, etc... in our wonderful outdoors. But this means that we have a responsibility to protect the environment by upholding a certain attitude and code of ethics, thus being good ambassadors for our outdoor pursuits. My post on ski/snowboard wax yesterday really got me thinking about the impact that my other outdoor sports have on the environment.
I have recently become a member of Leave No Trace Canada which has inspired me to write a series of posts about what we, as outdoor enthusiasts, can do to help preserve the pristine outdoor environment. Even if you aren't a super keen-outdoors person, and just enjoy the occasional walk in the park, be sure the to read the next couple of posts!
Part 1: Tread Lightly
This is applicable to hiking, walking, backpacking, biking, horse-riding etc.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces and don't take short-cuts. This means travel on rock, gravel, snow and stay on established trails and campsites (even when it is muddy!) While established trails themselves are an impact on the land, they are a necessary response to people traveling in the outdoors and the back-country. Concentrating travel on these developed trails reduces the development of multiple routes that scar the landscape and erode soil. When travelling on established trails and popular areas, be sure to stay on trail, walk in single file and keep campsites concentrated -try to stay in areas where there is no vegetation.
Good campsites are not made, they are found -it is not necessary to make site alterations. Camp at least 70 steps away from lakes or streams so access routes are free for wildlife. Try to keep to already high-impacted locations so that your small footprint will not be noticeable. In pristine areas, spread out and try to avoid repetitive traffic. When breaking camp, be sure to "naturalize it" and return it to the state it was in before you came.
When travelling in pristine areas, disperse use to prevent creating trails and avoid places where impacts are just beginning. Some vegetation is more robust than other types and thus more resistant to trampling, however, alpine vegetation is very fragile. The Adirondacks website has a really moving description of the struggle for alpine vegetation to survive:
Picture yourself hanging from a ledge dangling only from your very fingertips, frozen by cold and buffeted by wind. Now include an unknowing hiker stepping on your fingertips. This is life as an alpine plant in the Adirondacks.
These fragile ecosystems are vulnerable to disturbances and trampling and it may take decades for it to recover from the passing of one single hiking group! The same is true for the delicate Cryptobiotic crust in desert environments -so be sure to tread lightly by remaining on established trails, or following guidelines set by the parks suitable for off-trail travel if it is necessary.
While I won't be able to make it out to the back country anytime soon, these guidelines are really good practice for anything outdoors. What do you think? Do you have any other suggestions for "treading lightly"?
Be sure to keep posted for the next few days with the next few topics pertaining to outdoor sports!
Me -"Treading Lightly" as we travel on snow on our way to the Bow Hut!
Sources:
http://www.leavenotrace.ca/principle-travel-camp-durable-surfaces
http://www.adk.org/trails/High_Peaks_Hike-Backpack.aspx
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 47: "Wax On! Wax Off!"
If there was an endangered list for sports, I bet a lot of winter sports would be on it! However, a lot of winter-sports, like skiing and snowboarding, aren't really helping their cause for a variety of reasons: think food and packaging waste in cafeterias, diesel (or electric) powered chairlifts, crowded parking lots that were once forests and today's topic - wax!
A lot of our ski resorts are located in seemingly pristine mountain wilderness, surrounded by forests and pure, clean streams and lakes. Many ski-resorts in Canada are even located in National or Provincial Parks. There are many different types of wax for different sports and snow conditions, however, traditional ski/snowboard waxes are derived from petroleum/oil and contain toxic chemicals such as perfluorinated carbolylates (PFCs). Levels of PFCs have been seen to rise in ski/snowboard technicians during the season, and these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, thyroid dysfunction, immune system disruption, cardiovascular problems and liver toxicity among other things. Furthermore, these waxes "rub-off" on the snow (otherwise we wouldn't need to re-wax our gear!)
Let's say a ski-resort has 1 million riders/skiers visit per year, that can lead to up to about 21 200 kg of wax that rubs off onto the snow and then melts and runs into our pristine wilderness every year - and that is just one million visits at a single resort! Apparently, Canadian ski-resorts have about 20 million visits a year.
Luckily, this problem isn't that difficult to address. More and more snow-sport companies and winter sports enthusiasts are becoming increasingly aware of the impacts that these products are having on the environment and thus, due to consumer demand, more eco-friendly alternatives are becoming available.
There are a lot of companies that are catering to skier/rider demand and are now offering these more sustainable alternatives to traditional wax. One such company, Greenwax, is one of the forerunners and most recognizable PFC-free brand. Greenwax, who's slogan is "shred lightly," offers wax that is organic, biodegradable, petroleum-free, PFC-free, sustainable and, as an added bonus, they use 100% recycled, minimalistic packaging.
This is a small thing you can do to help protect fragile mountain ecosystems! So, next time you wax your board/skis, be sure to use an environmentally-friendly, biodegradable wax that won't hurt your health, the technician's health or the health of the mountain environment!
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorocarbon
http://www.greenskiwax.com
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/01/your-ski-and-snowboard-wax-could-be-seriously-harmful-to-you-wildlife.php
http://www.enviromountain.com/Dangers/Dangers.htm
http://360guide.info/snowboarding/bluebird-snowboard-wax.html?Itemid=1
A lot of our ski resorts are located in seemingly pristine mountain wilderness, surrounded by forests and pure, clean streams and lakes. Many ski-resorts in Canada are even located in National or Provincial Parks. There are many different types of wax for different sports and snow conditions, however, traditional ski/snowboard waxes are derived from petroleum/oil and contain toxic chemicals such as perfluorinated carbolylates (PFCs). Levels of PFCs have been seen to rise in ski/snowboard technicians during the season, and these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, thyroid dysfunction, immune system disruption, cardiovascular problems and liver toxicity among other things. Furthermore, these waxes "rub-off" on the snow (otherwise we wouldn't need to re-wax our gear!)
Let's say a ski-resort has 1 million riders/skiers visit per year, that can lead to up to about 21 200 kg of wax that rubs off onto the snow and then melts and runs into our pristine wilderness every year - and that is just one million visits at a single resort! Apparently, Canadian ski-resorts have about 20 million visits a year.
Luckily, this problem isn't that difficult to address. More and more snow-sport companies and winter sports enthusiasts are becoming increasingly aware of the impacts that these products are having on the environment and thus, due to consumer demand, more eco-friendly alternatives are becoming available.
There are a lot of companies that are catering to skier/rider demand and are now offering these more sustainable alternatives to traditional wax. One such company, Greenwax, is one of the forerunners and most recognizable PFC-free brand. Greenwax, who's slogan is "shred lightly," offers wax that is organic, biodegradable, petroleum-free, PFC-free, sustainable and, as an added bonus, they use 100% recycled, minimalistic packaging.
This is a small thing you can do to help protect fragile mountain ecosystems! So, next time you wax your board/skis, be sure to use an environmentally-friendly, biodegradable wax that won't hurt your health, the technician's health or the health of the mountain environment!
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorocarbon
http://www.greenskiwax.com
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/01/your-ski-and-snowboard-wax-could-be-seriously-harmful-to-you-wildlife.php
http://www.enviromountain.com/Dangers/Dangers.htm
http://360guide.info/snowboarding/bluebird-snowboard-wax.html?Itemid=1
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Day 46: Fast Food - The Inconvenience of Convenient
There are a lot of problems associated with fast food: the quality of the food, sourcing, the carbon footprint of this food and transportation among other things. Today, I am going to focus on the packaging waste caused by fast food and takeout.
On one hand, great leaps forward have been made to reduce the waste associated with fast food. For example, the polystyrene burger box has been replaced with recycled cardboard.
However, on the other hand, litter characterization studies done across the United States recognize fast food as the primary identifiable source of urban litter (I'm sure we can all agree with this regardless of where we live!) This litter becomes a permanent fixture of our environment as it travels through storm drains and by the wind across the landscape. In fact, plastics from urban runoff is the largest source of marine debris (in some parts of the ocean this debris is so concentrated that there is 6 times more plastic than plankton!) Less than 35% of fast food waste is diverted from landfills, so these fast-food joints are not only stressing our environment, but our waste disposal system as well!
Another cause for concern is the effects that this packaging may be having on the health of humans who consume the food that they house. Apparently Fluorinated telomers, a teflon-type material that keeps grease from seeping through cardboard (like on pizza or french fry boxes), is relatively innocuous in its everyday uses. However, upon ingestion the telomers can break down into perfluorooctanoic acid. Although the human health effects of this acid are not confirmed, studies on laboratory animals show links to cancer, liver toxicity and potential developmental and reproductive problems.
So, while fast-food companies can try to implement better recycling programs to reduce the waste associated with their packaging, it seems best to just avoid fast food and takeout all together!
Here are a couple of alternatives to fast food:
- Go to a restaurant that serves its food quickly on reusable dishes (like Tim Hortons)
- Treat yourself to a nice restaurant or check out a cute little cafe
- Bring food from home packed in reusable containers
... I'm sure there are many other ideas too! Feel free to post a comment!
Sources:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_16_111/ai_112983133/
http://www.fastfoodnation.co.uk/fast-food-environment.html
http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/fast_food
http://www.cawrecycles.org/files/ciwmb_restaurant_composition.pdf
On one hand, great leaps forward have been made to reduce the waste associated with fast food. For example, the polystyrene burger box has been replaced with recycled cardboard.
However, on the other hand, litter characterization studies done across the United States recognize fast food as the primary identifiable source of urban litter (I'm sure we can all agree with this regardless of where we live!) This litter becomes a permanent fixture of our environment as it travels through storm drains and by the wind across the landscape. In fact, plastics from urban runoff is the largest source of marine debris (in some parts of the ocean this debris is so concentrated that there is 6 times more plastic than plankton!) Less than 35% of fast food waste is diverted from landfills, so these fast-food joints are not only stressing our environment, but our waste disposal system as well!
Another cause for concern is the effects that this packaging may be having on the health of humans who consume the food that they house. Apparently Fluorinated telomers, a teflon-type material that keeps grease from seeping through cardboard (like on pizza or french fry boxes), is relatively innocuous in its everyday uses. However, upon ingestion the telomers can break down into perfluorooctanoic acid. Although the human health effects of this acid are not confirmed, studies on laboratory animals show links to cancer, liver toxicity and potential developmental and reproductive problems.
So, while fast-food companies can try to implement better recycling programs to reduce the waste associated with their packaging, it seems best to just avoid fast food and takeout all together!
Here are a couple of alternatives to fast food:
- Go to a restaurant that serves its food quickly on reusable dishes (like Tim Hortons)
- Treat yourself to a nice restaurant or check out a cute little cafe
- Bring food from home packed in reusable containers
... I'm sure there are many other ideas too! Feel free to post a comment!
Sources:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_16_111/ai_112983133/
http://www.fastfoodnation.co.uk/fast-food-environment.html
http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/fast_food
http://www.cawrecycles.org/files/ciwmb_restaurant_composition.pdf
Monday, February 14, 2011
Day 45: Follow the Yellow Fish Road
I was a Girl Guide when I was little and I remember doing the Yellow Fish Road Program even then. These memories had been stored away deep in the recesses of my mind until today, on my way home, I stumbled upon this storm drain painted with a Yellow Fish.
The Yellow Fish Road Program is run by Trout Unlimited Canada and is aimed at urban elementary-school aged kids to teach them about sustainability and the environment, but I think we can all learn a little something from these fishies! The idea here is that the Yellow Fish reminds everyone that anything entering the storm drains flows directly into the nearest waterbody.
In most cities water run-off from lawns, parking lots, driveways, roads and sidewalks, along with what-ever else people toss down these drains, does not go to sewage treatment plants. Instead, this water flows untreated into lakes, oceans and streams. While stormwater may appear to be relatively clean, a lot of this run-off (which includes litter, oil, gasoline, fertilizers and more) is harmful to aquatic life and pollutes our water.
In most cities water run-off from lawns, parking lots, driveways, roads and sidewalks, along with what-ever else people toss down these drains, does not go to sewage treatment plants. Instead, this water flows untreated into lakes, oceans and streams. While stormwater may appear to be relatively clean, a lot of this run-off (which includes litter, oil, gasoline, fertilizers and more) is harmful to aquatic life and pollutes our water.
I checked out Metro Vancouver's stormwater management and this is indeed the case here. The water flows untreated directly into the ocean. I suppose this makes sense, since Vancouver receives copious amounts of rain it would be impossible to treat this water, however, it is evident that humans are having an adverse affect on aquatic life.
Last summer I worked as a tour guide in BC, and one of my favorite parts was taking in a whale-watching tour in Telegraph Cove on the Island. It was on these tours that I learned that the magnificent Orcas (Killer Whales) rank among the world's most contaminated marine animals. Furthermore, I learned that the 80-odd "southern" BC resident Orcas are endangered. This southern population that resides near Vancouver/Victoria is significantly more contaminated than the population of about 200 Orcas that compose the "Northern Population" that live near the northern part of the Island. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada lists the southern population as "endangered" and the northern population as "threatened." The difference in classifications is largely due to the fact the waters in the south near Vancouver/Victoria are more contaminated than the water further north, which results in contaminated plant life and fish/seals that the Orcas eat.
Last summer I worked as a tour guide in BC, and one of my favorite parts was taking in a whale-watching tour in Telegraph Cove on the Island. It was on these tours that I learned that the magnificent Orcas (Killer Whales) rank among the world's most contaminated marine animals. Furthermore, I learned that the 80-odd "southern" BC resident Orcas are endangered. This southern population that resides near Vancouver/Victoria is significantly more contaminated than the population of about 200 Orcas that compose the "Northern Population" that live near the northern part of the Island. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada lists the southern population as "endangered" and the northern population as "threatened." The difference in classifications is largely due to the fact the waters in the south near Vancouver/Victoria are more contaminated than the water further north, which results in contaminated plant life and fish/seals that the Orcas eat.
One of the most startling facts that I learned on these tours was that an Orca's natural life expectancy used to be about 70-90 years. Now, a male Orca will live to be about 30 while a female Orca may live up to 60 or 70 years old. One of the main reasons behind this is due to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as DDT, PCB and Dioxins which dissolve into the animals fat and stay permanently in their system -except, when the female Orca gives birth. When a female Orca has a calf, she passes some of these pollutants on to her offspring thus reducing the stress on her own system. Males, however, can't get rid of the POPs in their system and die sooner from weakened immune systems and the stresses associated with these toxic chemicals.
These are some heavy issues, and you may be asking what can you possibly do? Or, perhaps, you are thinking that you don't live near the ocean so you don't need to worry about this. Unfortunately, everyone needs to worry about this, as it is not just oceans that are being polluted, but streams, lakes, wetlands and marshes as well!
So what can you do? Here are a few easy things that you can do to help alleviate the stresses we cause on the environment
-Be aware of what you might be washing down the storm drain!
-Use biodegradable soap when washing your car.
So what can you do? Here are a few easy things that you can do to help alleviate the stresses we cause on the environment
-Be aware of what you might be washing down the storm drain!
-Use biodegradable soap when washing your car.
-Keep your car well maintained so it doesn't leak oil or gas!
-Don't overfill your tank at the pump.
-Dispose of waste in a safe and conscientious manner -remember that anything dumped down the storm drain goes directly into the water that may become your drinking water!
- Contact Trout Unlimited Canada (see link below) to get the Yellow Fish Road Program started in your community and help educate our youth!
- Contact Trout Unlimited Canada (see link below) to get the Yellow Fish Road Program started in your community and help educate our youth!
A lot of those tips are car-related. Right now my car is "hibernating" at my parent's house in Alberta, but for those of you driving be sure to think about the tips listed above! As for me, we all know my obsession with bicycles and bicycles use grease and oil as well! So, I have switched to biodegradable chain-cleaner and I am careful with grease/oil.
What do you think? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Here are some of the webpages I looked at for today's post - they are worth a read!
http://www.yellowfishroad.org/
http://www.yellowfishroad.org/
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Day 44: Show Your Sweetie and the Planet Some Love!
So, I may be a bit late for this Valentines-Day inspired post, but if you haven't done your shopping for your sweetie yet, here are a couple of things that you can keep in mind (or think about them for birthdays or for next year!):
Try to avoid buying cut flowers - many cut flowers are imported from developing countries that use pesticides that have been banned in Canada. The carbon-cost of importing these flowers and keeping them fresh is also quite high.
If you need to buy flowers to keep yourself out of the doghouse, try to buy Fair Trade Certified. When you buy Fair-Trade products, you're casting a vote to support higher ethical and economic standards. This ensures that producers and their families have the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for the future -I'm sure that this will make the flowers smell much sweeter too! (You'll also find the Fair Trade Certified label on many other things too - clothing, spices etc ... here's a link to the David-Suzuki Foundation's Eco Label Guide)
If your sweetie is into sweets, keep him/her and the planet safe by buying Fair-Trade! How you may ask? Well, because many cocoa growing companies use nasty chemicals and unfair labor practices to get the basic ingredient for chocolate. According to a really interesting article, Deep Green Chocolate Love, on Green Living's website conventional cocoa is only second to cotton in its use of pesticides! Furthermore, apparently there are at least 30 different pesticides used in cocoa production,some of which are extremely toxic, and traces of these harsh pesticides and chemicals still show up in the chocolates you may be buying for your sweetie!
The Green Living article also states that 75% of the cocoa used in North American chocolate comes from Africa's Ivory Coast where farmers live in poverty and work under shocking labor conditions. No matter how much your loved one loves chocolate, I'm sure he/she wouldn't want children laboring to pick cocoa instead of going to school or playing.
By buying certified organic Fair Trade, you are ensuring that your money goes to support fair working conditions and bio-diversity, along with ensuring that your chocolate is free from harmful chemicals!
But don't worry! Just because you're buying with a conscience doesn't mean that you are left without choices! Here is a list of chocolates that the Green Living article recommends, but I am sure that there are plenty more choices if you look around!
Equita Fair Trade Chocolate is owned by Oxfam!
Lillie Belle Farms has a plethora of delicious organic artisan chocolates!
Cocoa Camino
Divine Chocolate
Endangered Species Chocolate Company
Equal Exchange
Green & Black's
Newman's Organic Chocolate
Rapunzel Pure Organics, Inc.
Sjaak's Organic Chocolate
Terra Nostra
Theo Chocolate
Yachana Jungle Chocolate
While I won't be buying my sweetie chocolate or flowers, many of you are aware of my own sweet tooth, and I will be sure to try and buy organic and/or Fair Trade chocolate from now on!
Any other suggestions for an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral St. Valentine's day?
Try to avoid buying cut flowers - many cut flowers are imported from developing countries that use pesticides that have been banned in Canada. The carbon-cost of importing these flowers and keeping them fresh is also quite high.
If you need to buy flowers to keep yourself out of the doghouse, try to buy Fair Trade Certified. When you buy Fair-Trade products, you're casting a vote to support higher ethical and economic standards. This ensures that producers and their families have the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for the future -I'm sure that this will make the flowers smell much sweeter too! (You'll also find the Fair Trade Certified label on many other things too - clothing, spices etc ... here's a link to the David-Suzuki Foundation's Eco Label Guide)
If your sweetie is into sweets, keep him/her and the planet safe by buying Fair-Trade! How you may ask? Well, because many cocoa growing companies use nasty chemicals and unfair labor practices to get the basic ingredient for chocolate. According to a really interesting article, Deep Green Chocolate Love, on Green Living's website conventional cocoa is only second to cotton in its use of pesticides! Furthermore, apparently there are at least 30 different pesticides used in cocoa production,some of which are extremely toxic, and traces of these harsh pesticides and chemicals still show up in the chocolates you may be buying for your sweetie!
The Green Living article also states that 75% of the cocoa used in North American chocolate comes from Africa's Ivory Coast where farmers live in poverty and work under shocking labor conditions. No matter how much your loved one loves chocolate, I'm sure he/she wouldn't want children laboring to pick cocoa instead of going to school or playing.
By buying certified organic Fair Trade, you are ensuring that your money goes to support fair working conditions and bio-diversity, along with ensuring that your chocolate is free from harmful chemicals!
But don't worry! Just because you're buying with a conscience doesn't mean that you are left without choices! Here is a list of chocolates that the Green Living article recommends, but I am sure that there are plenty more choices if you look around!
Equita Fair Trade Chocolate is owned by Oxfam!
Lillie Belle Farms has a plethora of delicious organic artisan chocolates!
Cocoa Camino
Divine Chocolate
Endangered Species Chocolate Company
Equal Exchange
Green & Black's
Newman's Organic Chocolate
Rapunzel Pure Organics, Inc.
Sjaak's Organic Chocolate
Terra Nostra
Theo Chocolate
Yachana Jungle Chocolate
While I won't be buying my sweetie chocolate or flowers, many of you are aware of my own sweet tooth, and I will be sure to try and buy organic and/or Fair Trade chocolate from now on!
Any other suggestions for an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral St. Valentine's day?
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Day 43: I Don't Mean to be Snotty....
...but sometimes it just happens!
A week ago I cought a pretty bad cold and went right through two boxes of recycled facial tissues. One day, when I thought I had finally conquered my cold, I ventured out of the house with only one extra tissue in my pocket. Big mistake - it didn't last long and I was forced to make an emergency purchase on campus, and the only thing I could find was a large package of smaller individually-wrapped pocket sized packages. As I was sitting desperately dabbing at my nose in Math 101 my friend pointed out to me that they weren't very sustainable... and of course I was aware of that... but I was desperate!
But this got me thinking that there had to be a better way, so, as I usually do, I sat down and did some reading on the subject.
Grist.com did a review of recycled facial tissues two years ago, and the author unearthed some surprising results. Paper pulp and manufacturing is one of the most polluting industries in North America and the third largest contributer to CO2 emissions. American paper consumption razes 12 430 square miles of forest each year.
After reading the review of a variety of different brands of recycled facial tissues, from Kleenex to Seventh Generation, it seems that none of them measure up to the good old fashioned handkerchief for softness and durability. Sure, they need to be tossed into the laundry ever so often...but well, you do laundry anyways -and this way you aren't creating a mountain of waste every time you catch a cold!
So, next time I am feeling under the weather, I am swearing off facial tissues and going for the trusted and true, old fashioned method that worked so well for my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, etc.. the Grist-recommended handkerchief!
But otherwise, if you absolutely refuse to go this route, look at the recycled content of facial tissues and make sure as much of it is possible is recycled (100% is best - and make sure it is the box and the tissues -not just one or the other). For more information and for the tissue reviews, click on the link above.
A week ago I cought a pretty bad cold and went right through two boxes of recycled facial tissues. One day, when I thought I had finally conquered my cold, I ventured out of the house with only one extra tissue in my pocket. Big mistake - it didn't last long and I was forced to make an emergency purchase on campus, and the only thing I could find was a large package of smaller individually-wrapped pocket sized packages. As I was sitting desperately dabbing at my nose in Math 101 my friend pointed out to me that they weren't very sustainable... and of course I was aware of that... but I was desperate!
But this got me thinking that there had to be a better way, so, as I usually do, I sat down and did some reading on the subject.
Grist.com did a review of recycled facial tissues two years ago, and the author unearthed some surprising results. Paper pulp and manufacturing is one of the most polluting industries in North America and the third largest contributer to CO2 emissions. American paper consumption razes 12 430 square miles of forest each year.
After reading the review of a variety of different brands of recycled facial tissues, from Kleenex to Seventh Generation, it seems that none of them measure up to the good old fashioned handkerchief for softness and durability. Sure, they need to be tossed into the laundry ever so often...but well, you do laundry anyways -and this way you aren't creating a mountain of waste every time you catch a cold!
So, next time I am feeling under the weather, I am swearing off facial tissues and going for the trusted and true, old fashioned method that worked so well for my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, etc.. the Grist-recommended handkerchief!
But otherwise, if you absolutely refuse to go this route, look at the recycled content of facial tissues and make sure as much of it is possible is recycled (100% is best - and make sure it is the box and the tissues -not just one or the other). For more information and for the tissue reviews, click on the link above.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Day 42: "Ride Bikes Every Day"
Those of you who have me on facebook have probably seen this one already, but I just love this Cyanide and Happiness strip:
According to the David Suzuki Foundation cars are the leading source of air pollution and there are 14 million cars in Canada.In his Green Guide Dr. Suzuki writes that North Americans rack up more than 8 trillion "passenger kilometers" every year on the road and in the skies. That is 200 million trips around the Earth at the equator or 21 million trips to the moon. Furthermore, the average North American driver circumnavigates the planet every year and half - and most of us don't even go very far from home! In the end, one of the most fundamental change that we can make is to drive and fly less often.
1) Can you walk or bike there? It takes about 10 minutes to walk a kilometer, plus you save on gym fees by burning some extra calories!
As for me, I am going to continue taking public transit, walking and biking. I will incorporate the above tips into my lifestyle, and when I do go farther from home I will try to organize car-pools and fill as many people into the car as possible.
Today's topic is transportation, and how we get around.
According to the David Suzuki Foundation cars are the leading source of air pollution and there are 14 million cars in Canada.In his Green Guide Dr. Suzuki writes that North Americans rack up more than 8 trillion "passenger kilometers" every year on the road and in the skies. That is 200 million trips around the Earth at the equator or 21 million trips to the moon. Furthermore, the average North American driver circumnavigates the planet every year and half - and most of us don't even go very far from home! In the end, one of the most fundamental change that we can make is to drive and fly less often.
This doesn't mean you can't go anywhere, you just have to think more about where you are going, when, how and how often!
Here are a few things to think about:
1) Can you walk or bike there? It takes about 10 minutes to walk a kilometer, plus you save on gym fees by burning some extra calories!
2) Get there faster by cycling! Often trips less than 10km are faster in cities by bicycle than by car. This actually came up today when I was waiting for my carpool to go to the North Shore for some mountain biking. Due to the amount of traffic today I probably would have been able to cycle faster to my friends house, even with my heavy all-mountain bike, than it took him to drive to come and pick me up. This friend also commutes to work everyday in North Vancouver by bicycle, and says that it is often the quickest way as well, because he avoids the traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge
3) Cycling and walking saves you money on gas and/or bus fare!
4) Walking and cycling improves your health!
5) Reduce air pollution by car-pooling, taking public transit, walking or cycling - this also reduces the congestion on the streets! Transit is actually great, it may take a bit longer to get somewhere, but you can leisurely read the paper or listen to music and is much less stressful than driving!
6) Save money and the environment! It is less expensive and less energy intensive to maintain a bicycle than it is to maintain a car. My parents live about 15 km away from the nearest town where my mother works as a nurse. In the summertime on her day and morning shifts, my amazing mother will cycle into work and home again!
I want to point out that I grew up in rural Alberta and I understand that sometimes there are no other options because it is too far, there is no transit, or it is too cold! However, even if you can't always incorporate any of the above ideas into your lifestyle, here are a few for those who must drive a car.
1) Drive a small fuel-efficient car.
2) Combine trips so you don't have to make several trips.
3) Car-pool!
I will post some more tips on how to be a more environmentally friendly driver sometime in the future, but this will get you started!
As for me, I am going to continue taking public transit, walking and biking. I will incorporate the above tips into my lifestyle, and when I do go farther from home I will try to organize car-pools and fill as many people into the car as possible.
Any other thoughts or suggestions? Do you commute by bicycle or walking? How do you feel about it?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Day 41: "To Zap or Not to Zap"
I never had a microwave growing up and was always a little dubious about using them, and this is a question I have pondered for a while: is it better to microwave food or use a conventional oven?
Well, after a bit of reading, the answer is: it depends.
The Sierra Club has this interesting articled, "To Zap or Not to Zap", posted on their website, and they highlight some tips about when and how to use a microwave.
First things first- some food just shouldn't be cooked in the microwave (baby bottles etc -and be weary of super heating water).
After that, it seems that it is best to use a microwave if you are just heating or making a small portion of food. Both conventional and microwave ovens use radiation to heat the food, the former just uses infrared and the latter uses part of the electromagnetic spectrum (Fun Fact: did you know that the wavelength of a microwave is 6.1 cm?). Microwaves are more efficient at heating food quickly since they agitate water molecules in the food, and this kinetic energy results in heat. Conventional ovens must first heat up an element and then either a pot or ambient air to transfer heat to your food.
So, it is more energy efficient to use the microwave to heat up small portions of food - it will help to reduce your carbon footprint and also save you some coin. What I have been doing is cooking larger portions of food on the weekend and sticking them in containers that I can heat up in the microwave during the week -it saves me time, money, energy and water from doing pots and pans every night!
However, if you don't have a microwave don't rush out and buy one - the average microwave contains pounds of plastic and glass that are difficult to dispose of if the microwave breaks - if you are considering buying one, try to buy a good quality one that can be repaired and will last a long time.
Some people might be concerned about the safety of food after it comes out of the microwave or radiation leakage - but these are only really of concern if the microwave is physically damaged. Other than that, just avoid putting plastic, especially those that are not "microwave-safe", into the microwave as the waves may cause certain chemicals from the plastic to migrate into the food.
Any thoughts?
Well, after a bit of reading, the answer is: it depends.
The Sierra Club has this interesting articled, "To Zap or Not to Zap", posted on their website, and they highlight some tips about when and how to use a microwave.
First things first- some food just shouldn't be cooked in the microwave (baby bottles etc -and be weary of super heating water).
After that, it seems that it is best to use a microwave if you are just heating or making a small portion of food. Both conventional and microwave ovens use radiation to heat the food, the former just uses infrared and the latter uses part of the electromagnetic spectrum (Fun Fact: did you know that the wavelength of a microwave is 6.1 cm?). Microwaves are more efficient at heating food quickly since they agitate water molecules in the food, and this kinetic energy results in heat. Conventional ovens must first heat up an element and then either a pot or ambient air to transfer heat to your food.
So, it is more energy efficient to use the microwave to heat up small portions of food - it will help to reduce your carbon footprint and also save you some coin. What I have been doing is cooking larger portions of food on the weekend and sticking them in containers that I can heat up in the microwave during the week -it saves me time, money, energy and water from doing pots and pans every night!
However, if you don't have a microwave don't rush out and buy one - the average microwave contains pounds of plastic and glass that are difficult to dispose of if the microwave breaks - if you are considering buying one, try to buy a good quality one that can be repaired and will last a long time.
Some people might be concerned about the safety of food after it comes out of the microwave or radiation leakage - but these are only really of concern if the microwave is physically damaged. Other than that, just avoid putting plastic, especially those that are not "microwave-safe", into the microwave as the waves may cause certain chemicals from the plastic to migrate into the food.
Any thoughts?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Day 40: The Inevitability of Entropy
One of my poor re-usable grocery bags gave-way at the handle after a heavy load of produce on my way home from the grocery store. Luckily the event wasn't terribly dramatic and I was able to save my groceries from spilling all over the sidewalk. But it reminded me of one of my favorites films, Life Cycles, and how everything that is made will wear-out and break eventually because such is the nature of tangible things.
Even if we try our best to take care of our things, they do break. But, before we send these things to the big landfill in the sky, we should try our best to have it repaired, re-purposed or recycled.
Today's post is about the former of the three -repair! I was able to patch and repair my cloth grocery bag and even reinforced the rest of the stitching of the bag while I was at it! While it isn't possible to repair everything that is broken, my goal for the rest of the year is to try my best to fix things, or have them repaired, before getting something new to replace it with. This applies for shoes, clothes, electronics, household appliances, bicycles etc!
I think that along with trying to take better care of my things, this will help to reduce my demand for goods and reduce my waste!
What do you think?
Even if we try our best to take care of our things, they do break. But, before we send these things to the big landfill in the sky, we should try our best to have it repaired, re-purposed or recycled.
Today's post is about the former of the three -repair! I was able to patch and repair my cloth grocery bag and even reinforced the rest of the stitching of the bag while I was at it! While it isn't possible to repair everything that is broken, my goal for the rest of the year is to try my best to fix things, or have them repaired, before getting something new to replace it with. This applies for shoes, clothes, electronics, household appliances, bicycles etc!
I think that along with trying to take better care of my things, this will help to reduce my demand for goods and reduce my waste!
What do you think?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Day 39:It's As Easy As One, Two...Tea!
I love tea.
I may have mentioned this in my previous tea-related post, but I drink a LOT of tea - probably close to 6-8 cups a day.
This in turn generated a lot of waste since I was buying tea bags from the grocery store. So, while the tea-bags are compost-able (minus the staple), I also had to deal with all the packaging - which at the very least was a cardboard box and plastic bag. A lot of teas come in individually wrapped paper paper envelopes to boot.
So, with my volume of tea-consumption, something just had to change!
I decided to move to looseleaf tea -and there happens to be a looseleaf tea-store just a few blocks from where I live. But, looseleaf tea also comes with packaging, although rather minimal... what is a girl to do?
Well, what I did was bring along some tins (cocoa powder, the empty Tetley tea containers, etc that I had been saving) and sheepishly went to the tea-store to see if they would fill them for me.
The girls at Davids Tea were so friendly! They didn't laugh at me or give me the weird looks that I expected when I explained to them what I wanted. They helped me pick out some tasty teas and filled them into my cocoa tins and really made the whole experience super enjoyable - I will definitely be going back there again with my cocoa tins!
I already have a looseleaf tea infuser at home, and recently purchased this wonderful teapot set at a second-hand store for the bargain price of $7 (it also came with 4 cups and a cute tray). Recall my post from Day 15 about not filling the kettle all the way, just as much as you need, and remember that its more efficient to make a pot of tea and keep it warm in pot with a cozy than make a bunch of individual cups.
Now I can drink my liters of tea each day and feel a little better that I am only producing a few teaspoons of compost-able tealeaves as waste!
I may have mentioned this in my previous tea-related post, but I drink a LOT of tea - probably close to 6-8 cups a day.
This in turn generated a lot of waste since I was buying tea bags from the grocery store. So, while the tea-bags are compost-able (minus the staple), I also had to deal with all the packaging - which at the very least was a cardboard box and plastic bag. A lot of teas come in individually wrapped paper paper envelopes to boot.
So, with my volume of tea-consumption, something just had to change!
I decided to move to looseleaf tea -and there happens to be a looseleaf tea-store just a few blocks from where I live. But, looseleaf tea also comes with packaging, although rather minimal... what is a girl to do?
Well, what I did was bring along some tins (cocoa powder, the empty Tetley tea containers, etc that I had been saving) and sheepishly went to the tea-store to see if they would fill them for me.
The girls at Davids Tea were so friendly! They didn't laugh at me or give me the weird looks that I expected when I explained to them what I wanted. They helped me pick out some tasty teas and filled them into my cocoa tins and really made the whole experience super enjoyable - I will definitely be going back there again with my cocoa tins!
I already have a looseleaf tea infuser at home, and recently purchased this wonderful teapot set at a second-hand store for the bargain price of $7 (it also came with 4 cups and a cute tray). Recall my post from Day 15 about not filling the kettle all the way, just as much as you need, and remember that its more efficient to make a pot of tea and keep it warm in pot with a cozy than make a bunch of individual cups.
Now I can drink my liters of tea each day and feel a little better that I am only producing a few teaspoons of compost-able tealeaves as waste!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Day 38: Stop Food Waste!
According to a recent article in the Financial Post, each year, about 40% of the food produced by Canadians ends up in the landfill. That exceeds the amount eaten in Canadian restaurants and is an estimated $27 billion dollars. Wowza.
While businesses and grocery stores are big culprits, consumers are also not without blame. I know that I have let things go bad in my fridge and have been forced to chuck them.
In a few of my previous posts I outlined how energy intensive it is to produce and transport food, and just imagine all that energy going to waste in spoiled food. Sure, it is biodegradable and compostable, but that is still a lot of good food going to waste.
Wasting food, either by choice or by accident really undermines the ecological and environmental sacrifices made to produce that food and bring it to our plates/fridges. By letting the food spoil or wasting it, we waste all the energy needed to farm, raise, transport store, process and maybe even cook the food!
This is a simple one to fix and is a money saver, so let's stop wasting food!
There are a number of things you can do:
1) Don't buy or take more than you can eat - this is especially important for fresh produce that has a limited shelf life.
2) Keep stock of what's in your fridge and make sure you consume something before it is too late
3) Like my mom always told me -clean your plate!
4)A lot of grocery stores sell bruised/ funny looking produce for really cheap. My local produce market sells bags of fruit/veggies that aren't exactly prime for 99 cents - it's a great deal and the food is still good! I also feel that I can justify buying non-local produce (ex. oranges) if I am saving them from the dumpster
5) I haven't done this yet, but I have heard about it and maybe if you are feeling adventurous, try being a freegan!
If we all stop wasting food and stop taking our fortunate easy-access to food for granted we can really make a difference here! So, my challenge for today is to stop wasting food!
While businesses and grocery stores are big culprits, consumers are also not without blame. I know that I have let things go bad in my fridge and have been forced to chuck them.
In a few of my previous posts I outlined how energy intensive it is to produce and transport food, and just imagine all that energy going to waste in spoiled food. Sure, it is biodegradable and compostable, but that is still a lot of good food going to waste.
Wasting food, either by choice or by accident really undermines the ecological and environmental sacrifices made to produce that food and bring it to our plates/fridges. By letting the food spoil or wasting it, we waste all the energy needed to farm, raise, transport store, process and maybe even cook the food!
This is a simple one to fix and is a money saver, so let's stop wasting food!
There are a number of things you can do:
1) Don't buy or take more than you can eat - this is especially important for fresh produce that has a limited shelf life.
2) Keep stock of what's in your fridge and make sure you consume something before it is too late
3) Like my mom always told me -clean your plate!
4)A lot of grocery stores sell bruised/ funny looking produce for really cheap. My local produce market sells bags of fruit/veggies that aren't exactly prime for 99 cents - it's a great deal and the food is still good! I also feel that I can justify buying non-local produce (ex. oranges) if I am saving them from the dumpster
5) I haven't done this yet, but I have heard about it and maybe if you are feeling adventurous, try being a freegan!
If we all stop wasting food and stop taking our fortunate easy-access to food for granted we can really make a difference here! So, my challenge for today is to stop wasting food!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Day 37: Grocery Store Adventures: Episode 2 - The Truth About Recycling
When I was little my mom used to always go to the the dairy farm down the road to pick up two Milk Buckets of milk that she pasteurized at home. Later, we got our milk from a friend who lived nearby and had a jersey cow that lived happily out on the field. This system was great. We knew the people who produced the milk, that the cows were happy and well taken care of, we knew that the milk didn't travel far from the cow to us, and this process had no waste in the form of plastic milk jugs or milk cartons.
Sadly, we stopped going down to the dairy after it changed hands, and then our friend's cow died. So, we started buying milk in plastic milk jugs. Although just picking up a jug at grocery store while shopping was easier, this milk was definitely not as tasty as the jersey's milk and was part of a more wasteful process than our earlier system. We also became less connected with where our food came from and the earth, as seems to be the way of progress and civilization.
My topic for today is really recycling, but I hope my little anecdote got you thinking as much as I did about how our connection to food and the earth is changing and evolving - and maybe not for the better.
Being Green is really cool these days, and you see all those t-shirts promoting recycling. Don't get me wrong, recycling is great, but it's really not as sustainable as most of us believe it to be. It is not a closed loop, and when you recycle, say, a plastic milk jug, it never becomes a milk jug again because in the process of reclaiming the material, the viability and quality of the plastic deteriorates. Eventually, you end up with those non-recyclable plastics.
This is a brief overview of how it works:
In a perfect world, a plastic bottle would be recycled and turned into another plastic bottle of equal quality -but this is not the case (but remember that recycling still requires energy, water and produces waste - just not as much as other processes). On the bright side, aluminium cans, PET 1 plastics and glass can be recycled into their same quality over and over.
However, HDPE number 2 plastics, which see their first incarnations as milk jugs, water bottles and juice containers can never be truly recycled and used as food-grade packaging again.
From here, the HDPE 2 plastics can laboriously be turned into things like plastic chairs, bins or be blended into a resin code 7 product - this is the end of the line for plastics, and it's next stop will likely be the landfill where it will sit for centuries.
Writing paper is the same - good quality writing paper is made from virgin fibers because recycled fibers are not quality enough, and they are turned into things like copy paper, toilet paper or cardboard - the end of the line for paper. So, recycling doesn't save all trees.
The other day, when grocery shopping I was hovering in the dairy isle -craving milk but not being able to justify the carbon cost of the milk and packaging when I spotted this:
Avalon farms is a local, family-run dairy, their production plant is located right here in Vancouver and their cows are in the Fraser Valley. They are actually the oldest continually running dairy in BC, and have been operating since 1906! I think unless I take up urban farming and start keeping a goat in my apartment, this is as local as it gets! One of the things I first noticed about Avalon milk was the container - it was made of glass reminiscent of the milk bottles of yester-year. I just had to find out more.
I e-mailed the contact person at Avalon farm and inquired about the glass bottles and found out that once they are returned to the grocery store, they are collected, cleaned and re-filled. (The pricey $1 deposit ensures that they get returned too!). I think this is probably the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly way of selling milk that I have come across since my childhood years.
I also learned that the organic cows at Avalon are let out to grasslands for 16 hours a day and are not fed corn-based feed (corn-based feed is the leading cause of cows producing excess amounts of methane gas since their digestive system isn't really made to digest corn).
The milk costs about $2.50 for a liter - not the cheapest, but its is the best milk I have had in a long time. Furthermore, I am supporting a local organic business. And, by paying more for the milk I am consuming less, which is better for the environment (see Day 2 of this Challenge), and I feel like I can justify buying milk now and again, and really savor this delicious treat! So, for the rest of the year I will try to continue buying local milk that comes in re-usable environmentally conscious bottles!
What do you think? Are there similar local business where you live? Do you think I can justify drinking milk by buying local, organic milk that comes in sustainable packaging?
Sadly, we stopped going down to the dairy after it changed hands, and then our friend's cow died. So, we started buying milk in plastic milk jugs. Although just picking up a jug at grocery store while shopping was easier, this milk was definitely not as tasty as the jersey's milk and was part of a more wasteful process than our earlier system. We also became less connected with where our food came from and the earth, as seems to be the way of progress and civilization.
My topic for today is really recycling, but I hope my little anecdote got you thinking as much as I did about how our connection to food and the earth is changing and evolving - and maybe not for the better.
Being Green is really cool these days, and you see all those t-shirts promoting recycling. Don't get me wrong, recycling is great, but it's really not as sustainable as most of us believe it to be. It is not a closed loop, and when you recycle, say, a plastic milk jug, it never becomes a milk jug again because in the process of reclaiming the material, the viability and quality of the plastic deteriorates. Eventually, you end up with those non-recyclable plastics.
This is a brief overview of how it works:
In a perfect world, a plastic bottle would be recycled and turned into another plastic bottle of equal quality -but this is not the case (but remember that recycling still requires energy, water and produces waste - just not as much as other processes). On the bright side, aluminium cans, PET 1 plastics and glass can be recycled into their same quality over and over.
However, HDPE number 2 plastics, which see their first incarnations as milk jugs, water bottles and juice containers can never be truly recycled and used as food-grade packaging again.
From here, the HDPE 2 plastics can laboriously be turned into things like plastic chairs, bins or be blended into a resin code 7 product - this is the end of the line for plastics, and it's next stop will likely be the landfill where it will sit for centuries.
Writing paper is the same - good quality writing paper is made from virgin fibers because recycled fibers are not quality enough, and they are turned into things like copy paper, toilet paper or cardboard - the end of the line for paper. So, recycling doesn't save all trees.
The other day, when grocery shopping I was hovering in the dairy isle -craving milk but not being able to justify the carbon cost of the milk and packaging when I spotted this:
Avalon farms is a local, family-run dairy, their production plant is located right here in Vancouver and their cows are in the Fraser Valley. They are actually the oldest continually running dairy in BC, and have been operating since 1906! I think unless I take up urban farming and start keeping a goat in my apartment, this is as local as it gets! One of the things I first noticed about Avalon milk was the container - it was made of glass reminiscent of the milk bottles of yester-year. I just had to find out more.
I e-mailed the contact person at Avalon farm and inquired about the glass bottles and found out that once they are returned to the grocery store, they are collected, cleaned and re-filled. (The pricey $1 deposit ensures that they get returned too!). I think this is probably the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly way of selling milk that I have come across since my childhood years.
I also learned that the organic cows at Avalon are let out to grasslands for 16 hours a day and are not fed corn-based feed (corn-based feed is the leading cause of cows producing excess amounts of methane gas since their digestive system isn't really made to digest corn).
The milk costs about $2.50 for a liter - not the cheapest, but its is the best milk I have had in a long time. Furthermore, I am supporting a local organic business. And, by paying more for the milk I am consuming less, which is better for the environment (see Day 2 of this Challenge), and I feel like I can justify buying milk now and again, and really savor this delicious treat! So, for the rest of the year I will try to continue buying local milk that comes in re-usable environmentally conscious bottles!
What do you think? Are there similar local business where you live? Do you think I can justify drinking milk by buying local, organic milk that comes in sustainable packaging?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Day 36: The Dirty Truth About This Blogger
Any of you who have every visited me at home, or even seen my "organizational" method know that I am disastrous. I usually loose my keys, cell phone etc once a week in my room and have multiples of a few things because, well, I lost the first in my mess!
Here is a picture of what my room looks like by the end of a busy week of school, where survival becomes my priority!
This is no good for several reasons (some that I have already touched on already in my previous posts):
1) I have a lot of junk and get more junk because I can't find a specific thing within my pile of junk, so I buy a new one
2) I break stuff stepping on all of my clutter
3) Because I never seem to get around to folding and putting my laundry away, it often gets mixed in with dirty laundry and gets unnecessarily washed, thus wasting water and energy
4) If I keep this up, when I go to buy my first home I will look for a bigger place just to house my stuff - this means more building materials and energy to heat this home
5) A little off-topic, but I waste a ton of time and energy looking for things!
I'm sure there are a lot of other reasons why being messy is bad for the environment, but even just these few are enough to make my new challenge to keep myself, my room, my notes etc organized this year!
Hopefully it will help me to reduce my demand for stuff (from either losing or breaking things) and, un-related to the environment, help me be more organized, efficient and reduce my stress levels!
There have actually been quite a few studies done on how clutter effects stress levels, and I know I get stressed when the clutter levels in my room rise - not aiding my already frazzled state after days of labs, midterms and differential equations!
The resulting "soothing" effect of having an organized space can make me a more productive person and reduce my cravings for comfort foods (cheese & sweets that are oh-so unsustainable!) among other things.
So, most of you probably aren't to my level when it comes to disorder (thank goodness!) but if you are, consider trying to clean up your act like I will be attempting to do for the health and environmental benefits!
Here is a picture of what my room looks like by the end of a busy week of school, where survival becomes my priority!
This is no good for several reasons (some that I have already touched on already in my previous posts):
1) I have a lot of junk and get more junk because I can't find a specific thing within my pile of junk, so I buy a new one
2) I break stuff stepping on all of my clutter
3) Because I never seem to get around to folding and putting my laundry away, it often gets mixed in with dirty laundry and gets unnecessarily washed, thus wasting water and energy
4) If I keep this up, when I go to buy my first home I will look for a bigger place just to house my stuff - this means more building materials and energy to heat this home
5) A little off-topic, but I waste a ton of time and energy looking for things!
I'm sure there are a lot of other reasons why being messy is bad for the environment, but even just these few are enough to make my new challenge to keep myself, my room, my notes etc organized this year!
Hopefully it will help me to reduce my demand for stuff (from either losing or breaking things) and, un-related to the environment, help me be more organized, efficient and reduce my stress levels!
There have actually been quite a few studies done on how clutter effects stress levels, and I know I get stressed when the clutter levels in my room rise - not aiding my already frazzled state after days of labs, midterms and differential equations!
The resulting "soothing" effect of having an organized space can make me a more productive person and reduce my cravings for comfort foods (cheese & sweets that are oh-so unsustainable!) among other things.
So, most of you probably aren't to my level when it comes to disorder (thank goodness!) but if you are, consider trying to clean up your act like I will be attempting to do for the health and environmental benefits!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Day 35: No More Junk Mail!
This one is related to my post from Day 7 about paperless banking but is a bit more encompassing and will require a bit more "legwork" to do. My challenge is to unsubscribe to junk mail (actually phone them and ask to be taken off the list!) and if you have a mailbox, put up a "No Junk Mail Please" or "No Flyers Please" sign. This cuts down on paper waste and leaves you with less clutter to deal with!
Also, can you think of the last time you used a phonebook? I can't .... but that's not something I have to worry about in my current home, but for those of you who do get an annual phone book, think if you really need it or not.
Sorry for two short posts in a row - it's midterm week! I have some tasty ideas coming up, so keep posted!
Also, can you think of the last time you used a phonebook? I can't .... but that's not something I have to worry about in my current home, but for those of you who do get an annual phone book, think if you really need it or not.
Sorry for two short posts in a row - it's midterm week! I have some tasty ideas coming up, so keep posted!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Day 34: Be Green While you Sleep!
My boyfriend came for a quick visit on Monday and brought up an interesting idea that I haven't fully considered or implemented into my lifestyle.
It's easy, and most people already do it in their sleep!
Drawing your curtains at night helps prevent heat loss by capturing an extra "air-pocket" between the curtains and windows which helps to insulate the window. It's a simple thing that us Cold-Climate Dwellers can do over the cold winter months to cut down on our heating bills (along with lowering the thermostat/heat at night) and on our energy consumption!
Happy Thursday everyone! We've almost made it to the weekend!
Also, I came across this rad article (original article can be found here)
It's easy, and most people already do it in their sleep!
Drawing your curtains at night helps prevent heat loss by capturing an extra "air-pocket" between the curtains and windows which helps to insulate the window. It's a simple thing that us Cold-Climate Dwellers can do over the cold winter months to cut down on our heating bills (along with lowering the thermostat/heat at night) and on our energy consumption!
Happy Thursday everyone! We've almost made it to the weekend!
Also, I came across this rad article (original article can be found here)
“Green Curtains” to Reduce Energy Use & Protect Environment
Kyocera Group has begun using viney plants to create “green curtains”, which are formed over trellises to shade portions of windows and outer walls of buildings at 20 different locations in Japan, Thailand and Brazil. These curtains create a canopy over the buildings to prevent direct sunlight from raising the temperature of the building’s interior, helping to reduce the need for energy-intensive air conditioning. Not to mention, the plants also help to protect the environment by absorbing CO2. Taking their conservation efforts another step further, the company has even created a comprehensive how-to website dedicated toward helping consumers fashion their own eco-curtains around offices and homes. Kyocera’s “green curtain” idea began at its Okaya Plant in Nagano Prefecture, Japan as part of its effort to conserve energy and environmental resources. According to their website, these “green curtains” will absorb roughly 23,481 lbs of CO2 — or approximately the same amount as 761 cedar trees.Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Day 33: Take Care of Your Things
So, this one may not seem as clear as some of the other topics, like using both sides of a sheet of paper or bringing your own plastic bag, but it really falls into the same category.
I was thinking about how much our lives have changed in the past 100 years, and how easy it is now for us to access cheap stuff. I have a tonne of stuff, and it seems to be not a huge deal if I break something because I can just buy another thing for relatively little money. In fact, you almost shouldn't be too hard on yourself if you do break something, because a lot of things aren't designed for the long term -they are designed to break relatively quickly because then you'll buy more stuff. Cell phones, for instance, are really only designed to endure a year or maybe two of regular service before they seem to spontaneously quit working. These things are actually designed for the dump.
Annie Leonard goes over this process in her video, "The Story of Stuff". Although it is very generalized and not entirely accurate (I think these inaccuracies are due to her trying to make her topic more accessible to the general population) the video provides a great general overview of stuff and Life Cycle Analysis.
This lead to me to thinking that not only do I have to buy less stuff, I need to take care of the things that I own. I also need to take care of things that other people own too. Broken stuff goes to the dump, so we need less broken stuff.
I guess what I am getting at is that we need to have a sense of responsibility and ownership not just over our things, but over the world and anything in it. We only have one planet, and if we break it we can't just go to the store and buy a new one.
We need to take care of our possessions and the possessions of others. We need to consider the impact of our actions will have on our planet and other living creatures. We need to think further than our own comfort, lifestyle and convenience. We need to be responsible and accountable for what we are doing.
One small step towards this rather lofty ideal is taking care of your possessions, and when you must buy something, buy something that will last for many years. When you are finished with something, give it to someone who needs it. I realize that this idea has some fundamental problems associated with it when it comes to the economy - but I'm not suggesting to stop consuming. I'm suggesting to consume wisely. If you need (not want... need) something, buy quality wares that may cost three times more than their cheaper alternative, but will last a lifetime or more. Take care of these things and do everything possible to keep them out of landfills.
I was thinking about how much our lives have changed in the past 100 years, and how easy it is now for us to access cheap stuff. I have a tonne of stuff, and it seems to be not a huge deal if I break something because I can just buy another thing for relatively little money. In fact, you almost shouldn't be too hard on yourself if you do break something, because a lot of things aren't designed for the long term -they are designed to break relatively quickly because then you'll buy more stuff. Cell phones, for instance, are really only designed to endure a year or maybe two of regular service before they seem to spontaneously quit working. These things are actually designed for the dump.
Annie Leonard goes over this process in her video, "The Story of Stuff". Although it is very generalized and not entirely accurate (I think these inaccuracies are due to her trying to make her topic more accessible to the general population) the video provides a great general overview of stuff and Life Cycle Analysis.
This lead to me to thinking that not only do I have to buy less stuff, I need to take care of the things that I own. I also need to take care of things that other people own too. Broken stuff goes to the dump, so we need less broken stuff.
I guess what I am getting at is that we need to have a sense of responsibility and ownership not just over our things, but over the world and anything in it. We only have one planet, and if we break it we can't just go to the store and buy a new one.
We need to take care of our possessions and the possessions of others. We need to consider the impact of our actions will have on our planet and other living creatures. We need to think further than our own comfort, lifestyle and convenience. We need to be responsible and accountable for what we are doing.
One small step towards this rather lofty ideal is taking care of your possessions, and when you must buy something, buy something that will last for many years. When you are finished with something, give it to someone who needs it. I realize that this idea has some fundamental problems associated with it when it comes to the economy - but I'm not suggesting to stop consuming. I'm suggesting to consume wisely. If you need (not want... need) something, buy quality wares that may cost three times more than their cheaper alternative, but will last a lifetime or more. Take care of these things and do everything possible to keep them out of landfills.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Day 32: One Man's Trash...
During the holidays I was at my parents'home and I spent a lot of time with my mom's sewing machine. When I got back to Vancouver, I thought it was time that I should "come of age" and finally get my own sewing machine since I was only home maybe once a year these days, which allows for a lot of sewing projects to accumulate.
My first instinct was to go to Sears and buy one. But then I started perusing Craigslist and came across a bunch of machines in good condition for quite a bit less than I would have paid for a new one. Another thing I discovered is that craigslist has a "free" section where you can get almost anything imaginable free of charge (sofas, dishes, books, clothes, dining room sets, televisions, washing machines, you name it!) - you usually just have to go and pick it up. You could probably outfit your entire house with free stuff from craigslist -most of it in relatively good condition too!
In the end, I am the proud owner of an almost-new-still-in-the-box sewing machine that still had the manual with it for $50! A new one of equivalent quality would have cost at least three times that amount.
What is great about buying used is that not only does it save you money, you are diverting these previously-loved goods from the landfill (as most people are moving or getting new stuff, so the old stuff just has to go!) but in a way, you are also sort of helping to reduce the amount of stuff in circulation by decreasing the demand for new stuff. (Did that make any sense?) It works both ways too -if you have stuff kicking around your home that you no longer use or need, post for sale or for free on Craigslist, or bring it to a thrift shop like the Salvation Army where you will help make a difference in someone else's life!
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