TIP for Friday December 21st, 2007

Only a few days left...then the family will be gathered around the fireplace singing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve! Make it a green time by lighting the traditional fire with sustainably produced matches instead of a lighter. Some matches come from well-managed forests, which means that the companies aren't cutting down trees faster than they can grow. Matches are cheaper and they are biodegradable. Close to 1 billion lighters are sold in North America every year and end up in landfills. Lighters also use oil and once we use up the world's petroleum supply, no more lighters. So come on baby light my fire...with matches!

TIP for Thursday December 20th,2007

Today is National Re-gifting Day! If you want to avoid giving a gift that will be re-gifted, give a GREEN gift! How about an experience gift, something that will be remembered and not tossed in the trash. We create 25% more trash during the holidays, so less packaging, wrapping paper, ribbons and cards means less waste. Give a gift that keeps on giving like a massage, manicure or facial at an eco-spa. How about cooking classes or a class on wine, yoga or salsa dancing classes or round of play at a golf course, a membership, tickets to the theater, a ballet or musical. Be creative log on to www.toronto.com to find out what happening in our city and hook your loved one up! Or even better make a donation in someones name to a charitable organization, environmental or conservation society. Check out;

http://getinvolved.conservation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=seasonsgreenings

Happy Gifting!

TIP for Wednesday December 19th

Microwave popcorn...you might want to only string it on the Christmas tree. The toxin diacetyl, an ingredient in butter flavoured microwave popcorn, has been linked to lung disease. You won't see it on the ingredient list because it's labeled as "natural or artificial flavouring". Go organic and pop it the old fashion way. You'll save money because microwaveable bags cost up to five times more than buying kernels and popping them on your own. You'll then have less waste, fewer bags means smaller garbage piles. Organic is the way to go. In a recent FDA Total Diet Study, popcorn was found to be one of the top ten foods contaminated with pesticides. If have to go for microwaveable popcorn make sure to buy the natural or unbuttered variety and butter it up yourself!

TIP for Tuesday December 18th, 2007

Ok now that the Christmas decorations are up and the tree is trimmed....turn down the lights. Do you really need to have your Christmas lights on at 3 in the morning? Save energy and do the planet a favour, get your lights a timer or unplug them before you go to bed. Watch your December light bill go down, 5 strings of the standard holiday lights burning 24 hours a day can cost you close to $150 extra on your power bill. Even better get LED or solar lights for eco-friendly holiday decorating. They are 90% more energy efficient, they last longer and don't generate heat like standard holiday lights. Lights left on all night cause about 150 Christmas tree fires each year in North America. Look for appliance timers at your local hardware store, they cost between $6-$10. A cheap investment in our planet!

Happy Holidays and lighting!

TIP for Monday December 17th, 2007

Just about every kid has a video game on their Christmas wish list...why not take the video games to the next level and SAVE THE WORLD! Really! Check out eco-minded video games that teach kids about real issues like climate change with fun included! Solving energy conservation puzzles have a bit more real life relevance and lessons to learn for the generation that is going to feel the effects of global warming. Check out the PC game, SimCity Societies http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000U88UVS ; where kids can build and manage green societies to combat global warming. Nintendo DS has a game Chibi-Robo Park Patrol where players can clean up trash and help creatures in need. Free eco-games are also available online like Adventure Ecology http://missioncontrol.adventureecology.com/ ; or Free Rice www.freerice.com a vocab game that donates 20 grains of real rice to the UN World Food Program for each word that the player gets right. Save the world one video game at a time.......

TIP for Friday December 14th, 2007

Do you want to travel with ease? Take the train. It may be slower than flying but it's less stressful and eco-friendly because trains pollute less. Flying produces 10 times more greenhouse gas emissions per trip than traveling by rail. You'll spend less time waiting in lines at the airport to check in ,go through security, to board the plane, to get off the plane and to get your luggage. Plus you'll save money, a train fare can cost you half of plane ticket to the same destination. If you're traveling less than 200 miles, trains are the faster and less stressful way to go. They provide you with more legroom for a comfortable ride and the motion of the train is relaxing along with the beautiful scenery.

TIP for Thursday December 13th, 2007

Size does matter...we're talking margins OF COURSE! Reduce margins in your WORD documents before you print reduce paper waste. The average office worker could save 475 sheets of paper per year by reducing their margins from the default setting of 1 inch to 1/2 inch (0.5 in.). If 10,000 people changed their margin settings, an acre of trees could be saved in one year. This small change could also save you cash. An office with 100 people could save about $500 on paper per year. For more on how changing the margins can help the environment check out http://changethemargins.com

Need help with the settings check out this website that will give you step by step directions for changing your WORD doc margins http://wordprocessing.about.com/od/businesscareers/l/blmargins.htm

TIP for Tuesday December 11th, 2007

Grandma's electric blanket sounds like a warm idea on a cold winter's night but you risk more than a shock! Electric and magnetic fields, EMF's, from electric blankets may be linked to health hazards like cancer. Electric blankets are also responsible for thousands of fires every year. Go green and warm up with organic and recycled blankets that are better for the earth. You'll save energy not having to plug it in and that means saving money! You could save up to an average of $17.26 per year by not plugging in an electric blanket. Try organic or recycled wool and fleece blankets or the best blanket, another body! ;)

TIP for Monday December 10th, 2007

Yeah! The snow is here...great news for skiers! And if your getting ready to hit the slopes this Christmas vacation you can have GREEN fun in the snow this year. Many of the snow-gear companies are going eco-friendly and they are comparable with the non-eco wear. Avoid the disposable hand warmers and go for the reusable, non-toxic ones that keep you toasty warm for about two hours. Also Look for petroleum free ski wax for your skies and snowboards. Now you're ready to hit the slopes and still be eco-friendly! Wondering what to do with your old snow gear? Check out this website that is dedicated to giving them to someone in need,in cold weather countries around the world! http://www.swagusa.org

TIP for Thursday December 6th, 2007

When you set your Christmas table this year be eco-friendly. Use wax candles that are veggie based. They will burn longer and be less harmful to our planet. Conventional paraffin wax is created during the oil refining process and is not renewable. Soy candles are renewable and they burn up to 50% longer than regular candles. Plus veggie based candles leave fewer smoke marks on your walls and ceilings and less black marks on those gorgeous votives your mom gave you. Look for them everywhere this Christmas and sit down to a GREEN table!

TIP for Wednesday December 5th, 2007

I've brought this tip back by request from some of our FLOW listeners. With the freezing temperatures and the insane amount of ice everywhere, especially on our car windshields most of us are guilty of trying to skip the hard labour and go the easy route by using deicers. Not such a good idea. Most deicers contain chemicals like ethylene glycol, better know as antifreeze, that can be lethal to your pets (one spoonful can kill poor Fluffy). Plus about 1,500 children in North America ingest antifreeze every year. Also another deicer, salt, pushes chloride runoff into our waterways which can be harmful to fish and animals. There are some biodegradable windshield deicers on the market or you can try this little trick, mix a 50/50 water and white vinegar solution in a spray bottle. Spray it on your windshield the night before and NO ICE the next morning!
Also check this site out for more eco-friendly deicers www.worldsourceinc.net/icefree.htm

TIP for Tuesday December 4th, 2007

Turn the tap to the right....you know the cold water tap. It rarely gets a visit from our hands but using it more often can save you a lot of money and energy. Try washing your hands with cold water, its just as effective. The friction and the soap are what really get your hands clean. You'd have to rinse your hands in in boiling water to kill germs and bacteria. Most faucets use 2 gal per minute while your waiting for the water to warm up just to wash your hands. Every 10 degree drop in water temperature can save you 3%-5% on your water heating costs. So go for the cold and save!!! You also might try hand sanitizer especially if your on the go or in public restrooms.

TIP for Monday December 3rd, 2007

LED holiday lights....what does the LED stand for? Light-emitting-diode, translated, lighting things up for less! LED bulbs use 90% less electricity than traditional holiday bulbs. They last longer, with a 20-year lifetime, you don't have to replace them as often. They are safer because they transmit less heat, incandescent lights give off as much as 90% of their energy as heat leading to fire hazards, LED's barely heat up. LED's also will give you extra cash to spend on gifts. Burning 10 strands of lights with 100 lights per strand, 8 hours a day per month costs about $175 for regular bulbs, while LED mini bulbs will cost you about $1. Let LED's light up your life this holiday season!

TIP for Friday November 30th, 2007

Continuing with Green Tips from the students of Fleming College;

All week we've been making your workplace eco-friendly. Remember to keep things digital whenever possible. Don't print if you don't have to, the typical office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of paper per year! To cut down on energy use and paper waste, print on both sides of the paper. You can also find websites that allow you to send and receive fax messages as email attachments and view them in your inbox. Last, introduce plants into your office. They will beautify and more importantly, help circulate oxygen and filter toxins from the air. As few as 15 plants can filter the air in an average sized home or small office. Look for spider plants, philodendrons, or bamboo plants because they can grow anywhere without fertilizers or pesticides.

These GREEN tips were compiled by the students of Fleming College as part of their Ecosystem Management Technician Program. The students did an assessment of the YMCA building on Charles St. and focused on how they could implement small changes that would have a substantial environmental impact. For more info on these eco-tips check out www.flemingcollege.ca

I would like to extend a special thank you to Heather Burns of Youthography Inc., who passed these tips on to me. ;)

TIP for Thursday November 29th, 2007

Continuing with Green Tips from the students of Fleming College;

How can you be eco-friendly at your workplace? Let's start with man's second best friend...computers. Enabling the sleep mode on your desktop computer can reduce energy consumption by up to 70%. Optimize the energy settings for your computer and turn it off at the end of the day, you can save up to 0.2 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions yearly. Only 15% of the power consumed by computers is while it is in use, the rest is used while it's idling. And that screen saver that you have with the shark chasing the fish through the coral reef, is actually using extra energy. Screen savers only protect screen phosphors. Last, if you have a choice use a laptop because they can consume up to 90% less energy than desktops.


These GREEN tips were compiled by the students of Fleming College as part of their Ecosystem Management Technician Program. The students did an assessment of the YMCA building on Charles St. and focused on how they could implement small changes that would have a substantial environmental impact. For more info on these eco-tips check out www.flemingcollege.ca

TIP for Wednesday November 28th, 2007

Continuing with Green Tips from the students of Fleming College;

How can you be eco-friendly at your workplace? Well today let's start with your paper usage. Offices are major consumers of high quality paper, 90% of which is thrown away and NOT recycled. This adds up to nearly 750,000 tons of paper garbage per year! Look for recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content and minimum chlorine bleach. Recycled paper takes 60-70% less energy to produce than paper from virgin pulp. Another simple way to recycle around the office is to re-use paper scraps before you toss them in the recycling bin. And use a transparent wipe sheet, or sticky notes as a fax cover sheet when faxing to avoid excessive waste.

These GREEN tips were compiled by the students of Fleming College as part of their Ecosystem Management Technician Program. The students did an assessment of the YMCA building on Charles St. and focused on how they could implement small changes that would have a substantial environmental impact. For more info on these eco-tips check out www.flemingcollege.ca

TIP for Tuesday November 27th, 2007

Continuing with Green Tips from the students of Fleming College;

How can you turn your bathroom into an eco-friendly environment? First, wash up with biodegadable soap and reduce waste by using refillable soap containers. Second, avoid using paper towel to dry your hands. 544,000 trees would be saved if every household in North America replaced just one roll of paper towels (70 sheets) with 100% recycled ones. Third, check your toilet for leaks and if it's not low flush, place a 1lt bottled filled with water or stones in the tank to save water when flushing. You can save anywhere from 4 to 11 litres of water per flush! Toilets that are not low flush can use 18 to 26 litres of clean water with every flush. Last, instal a water saving bathroon faucet and shower head to cut down on water usage.

These GREEN tips were compiled by the students of Fleming College as part of their Ecosystem Management Technician Program. The students did an assessment of the YMCA building on Charles St. and focused on how they could implement small changes that would have a substantial environmental impact. For more info on these eco-tips check out www.flemingcollege.ca

TIP for Monday November 26th, 2007

How can you save energy in your kitchen? First, you can install tap filters and drink water from your own kitchen tap. Making plastic water bottles uses up 1.5 million barrels of crude oil, enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year! 2.7 tons of plastic are used to bottle water and 86% of those bottles becomes waste or litter. Second, Check your fridge for leaks and keep it at its most optimal efficiency setting, between 1.7 degrees celcius and 3.3 celcius. Third, develop a compost and garbage recycling program that your whole family will participate in and use aluminum foil, it is recyclable unlike plastic containers, plastic wrap and waxed paper. Last, replace your cleaning products with biodegradable cleaning products that clean just as well or better but won't harm the environment when poured down the sink.

These GREEN tips were compiled by the students of Fleming College as part of their Ecosystem Management Technician Program. The students did an assessment of the YMCA building on Charles St. and focused on how they could implement small changes that would have a substantial environmental impact. For more info on these eco-tips check out www.flemingcollege.ca

TIP for Friday November 23rd, 2007

Tis the season for X-mas parties and showing off your legs! Ladies, of course I'm talking to you, you can have sweet legs without razor burns by sugaring! Leave the chemicals found in waxes behind and shave some time off your daily routine. Sugaring can last nearly 2 months and is gentler than waxing. Sugars stick to the hair not the skin, and they don't have to be heated to high temperatures like wax. They are also petroleum free unlike many waxes that contain mineral oil, which is a by-product of gasoline distillation. Sugaring also doesn't require any water, so there is less water waste compared to shaving with a razor. Also less trash, 2 billion disposable razors end up in landfills every year. Sugaring also exfoliates your skin so your legs will be so sweet you'll dare to bare them at the Christmas office party! ;)

TIP for Thursday November 22nd, 2007

On my way to work this morning I saw people frantically scraping the ice off their windshields. Some of us are guilty of trying to skip the hard labour and go the easy route by using deicers. Not such a good idea. Most deicers contain chemicals like ethylene glycol, better know as antifreeze, that can be lethal to your pets (one spoonful can kill poor Fluffy). Plus about 1,500 children in North America ingest antifreeze every year. Also another deicer, salt, pushes chloride runoff into our waterways which can be harmful to fish and animals. There are some biodegradable windshield deicers on the market or you can try this little trick, mix a 50/50 water and white vinegar solution in a spray bottle. Spray it on your windshield the night before and NO ICE the next morning!
Also check this site out for more eco-friendly deicers www.worldsourceinc.net/icefree.htm

TIP for Wednesday November 21st, 2007

With our Government proposing to put a tax on bottled water, tap into the cheaper way to stay hydrated. Use your tap water with a home filter to get rid of any extra contaminants. On average tap water costs $0.0015 per gallon while a 16oz bottle can cost over $2 at the store. Contaminants like chlorine, cryptosporidium, giardia, lead, and even pesticides can get into unfiltered water, and 40% of some bottled water comes from regular city water systems. Most importantly we consume more than 2.5 million bottles of water every hour and only 10% of the bottles are recycled...that's a lot of waste! There are several home filter systems available now that are very affordable with prices ranging from $20 up to $220, depending on whether you want a pitcher filter, a faucet mounted system or an under the sink system. Check out www.waterfiltercomparisons.com to see the top 10 home water filters rated by cost and performance.

TIP for Tuesday November 20th, 2007

You recycle already but if you want to cut back on even more garbage change your garbage bags! Go for biodegradable bags. Regular plastic garbage bags are filling up landfills and take years to decompose. They actually help preserve the garbage inside, even fruit peels will be preserved before they decompose. Biodegradable bags decompose in as few as 10 days BUT they are surprisingly strong. They also don't cost much more, a pack of biodegradable or recycled trash bags might only cost you $1 more than a box of the regular ones. So the next time you go grocery shopping don't just pick up biodegradable bags for your compost, pick them up in all sizes for your trash and your recyclables.

TIP for Monday November 19th, 2007

All you coffee junkies...this cup's for you! Cut back on waste by cutting back on the disposable coffee cup habit without having to put down the coffee. Instead of a foam or paper cup, sip your drug of choice out of your of your own travel mug if you are on the go, or ask for a "to stay" mug if you have a few minutes to hang. If you purchase one cup of coffee everyday in a disposable cup you can create about 23 lbs of garbage each year. Plus Polystyrene aka Styrofoam can disrupt your hormones and the chlorine used to bleach the paper cups creates carcinogenic dioxins during production. Last but not least you'll save money because some coffee houses offer small discounts to customers who bring in their own reusable container. Just be sure to wash your mug before each use...... ;)

TIP for Friday November 16th, 2007

It's snowing! Everywhere you look people are rockin' their winter fashions and if you love the look of fur, why not wear cruelty-free couture. Now there are high fashion organic cotton fake furs that will make you look as cute as the real thing without putting a little critter in harm's way. Many fakes are made using oil, but the energy it takes to raise an animal for it's fur is still 20 times the amount to needed to make a fake and you can find some new imitations made from organic cotton that are oil-free. Make sure you check labels of Faux Fur trim because some labels that say fur of China origin are actually real fur! So if you prefer the look of Faux fur over Fake fur make sure it's made in North America.

TIP for Thursday November 15th, 2007

This one is for all the parents. Diapers! Disposable diapers are not just giving your baby diaper rash, they're doing it to the environment too! We throw away over 18 billion diapers each year that just sit in landfills. One baby can go through about 2,500 diapers before he or she is potty trained. Disposable diapers produce about 70 times more waste than cloth diapers and are more expensive. Cloth diapers when washed at home cost $0.03 per use, while disposable diapers cost about $0.22 each. Plus a study in 1999 found that lab mice exposed to conventional disposable diapers experienced eye, nose, and throat irritation, and advised parents who where asthmatic to stay way from using them. If your not into cloth some of the newer diapers offer convenient inserts that break down in 150 days or fewer rather than 500 years for standard disposable diaper! Try www.gdiapers.com they are biodegradable and you can flush them. Some other sites to check out are www.fuzzibunz.com or www.underthenile.com

TIP for Wednesday November 21st, 2007

With our Government proposing to put a tax on bottled water, tap into the cheaper way to stay hydrated. Use your tap water with a home filter to get rid of any extra contaminants. On average tap water costs $0.0015 per gallon while a 16oz bottle can cost over $2 at the store. Contaminants like chlorine, cryptosporidium, giardia, lead, and even pesticides can get into unfiltered water, and 40% of some bottled water comes from regular city water systems. Most importantly we consume more than 2.5 million bottles of water every hour and only 10% of the bottles are recycled...that's a lot of waste! There are several home filter systems available now that are very affordable with prices ranging from $20 up to $220, depending on whether you want a pitcher filter, a faucet mounted system or an under the sink system. Check out www.waterfiltercomparisons.com to see the top 10 home water filters rated by cost and performance.

TIP for Tuesday November 20th, 2007

You recycle already but if you want to cut back on even more garbage change your garbage bags! Go for biodegradable bags. Regular plastic garbage bags are filling up landfills and take years to decompose. They actually help preserve the garbage inside, even fruit peels will be preserved before they decompose. Biodegradable bags decompose in as few as 10 days BUT they are surprisingly strong. They also don't cost much more, a pack of biodegradable or recycled trash bags might only cost you $1 more than a box of the regular ones. So the next time you go grocery shopping don't just pick up biodegradable bags for your compost, pick them up in all sizes for your trash and your recyclables.

TIP for Monday November 19th, 2007

All you coffee junkies...this cup's for you! Cut back on waste by cutting back on the disposable coffee cup habit without having to put down the coffee. Instead of a foam or paper cup, sip your drug of choice out of your of your own travel mug if you are on the go, or ask for a "to stay" mug if you have a few minutes to hang. If you purchase one cup of coffee everyday in a disposable cup you can create about 23 lbs of garbage each year. Plus Polystyrene aka Styrofoam can disrupt your hormones and the chlorine used to bleach the paper cups creates carcinogenic dioxins during production. Last but not least you'll save money because some coffee houses offer small discounts to customers who bring in their own reusable container. Just be sure to wash your mug before each use...... ;)

TIP for Friday November 16th, 2007

It's snowing! Everywhere you look people are rockin' their winter fashions and if you love the look of fur, why not wear cruelty-free couture. Now there are high fashion organic cotton fake furs that will make you look as cute as the real thing without putting a little critter in harm's way. Many fakes are made using oil, but the energy it takes to raise an animal for it's fur is still 20 times the amount to needed to make a fake and you can find some new imitations made from organic cotton that are oil-free. Make sure you check labels of Faux Fur trim because some labels that say fur of China origin are actually real fur! So if you prefer the look of Faux fur over Fake fur make sure it's made in North America.

TIP for Thursday November 15th, 2007

This one is for all the parents. Diapers! Disposable diapers are not just giving your baby diaper rash, they're doing it to the environment too! We throw away over 18 billion diapers each year that just sit in landfills. One baby can go through about 2,500 diapers before he or she is potty trained. Disposable diapers produce about 70 times more waste than cloth diapers and are more expensive. Cloth diapers when washed at home cost $0.03 per use, while disposable diapers cost about $0.22 each. Plus a study in 1999 found that lab mice exposed to conventional disposable diapers experienced eye, nose, and throat irritation, and advised parents who where asthmatic to stay way from using them. If your not into cloth some of the newer diapers offer convenient inserts that break down in 150 days or fewer rather than 500 years for standard disposable diaper! Try www.gdiapers.com they are biodegradable and you can flush them. Some other sites to check out are www.fuzzibunz.com or www.underthenile.com

TIP for Wednesday November 14th, 2007

Is your dishwasher drying up more than your dishes? If the drying cycle is on then your using up extra energy and cash! Flip the dry cycle off to cut down on your electricity bills. You'll save 15%-50% energy usage and take as much as $25 per year off your electricity bill. Plus your dishes will still dry...slowly but surely. If you don't have a switch to flip off for the dry cycle then just open the door when the cycle starts. ;)

TIP for Tuesday November 13th, 2007

How's can you sleep comfortably and be green? Hit the organic sheets. Ultracomfortable and pesticide-free, you'll sleep better knowing that your sheets didn't contribute to the genetic mutation of fish. Non organic cotton farming uses more pesticides than any other crop and these pesticides can create genetic resistance in certain species. Look for Lauren Spa by Ralph Lauren, Target Organic sheet set also in bamboo options or Anna Sova Eco-Silk. Sleep tight knowing the bed bugs won't BITE! ;)

Check out these websites for more info www.ralphlauren.com www.annasova.com and www.target.com

TIP for Monday November 12th, 2007

Help the planet by surfing the Web! It's as easy as one click of your mouse and using a search engine that supports green causes, save energy and are free to use! Each search that you do generates about $0.01 for charity (the money of course comes from the advertisers on the site). Some search engines also have a dark background color instead of white,which when viewed on older CRT monitors, consume 20% less energy than typical search engines. Last but not least you'll get the same results because they pull their search results from Yahoo or Google databases. Some eco-friendly green search engines that you might like to try are; www.goodsearch.com they donate 50% of their revenues to a charity of your choice each time you search, www.blackle.com an unofficial black version of Google that uses less energy than the white version on your screen, or www.greenmaven.com a Google based search engine that only pulls results from green related websites. Save the environment one click at a time!

TIP for Friday November 9th, 2007

The spirit of the holiday season is upon us. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas with Green Christmas cards! This year send your holiday cheer on recycled cards, e-cards or something fun and send an important message. Thinks of all the trees you'll be saving! 2.65 billion cards bought in North America each year are not made from recycled paper and are most likely NOT recycled. Why not give a plantable card that will grow when you throw it in the backyard! Check these out - Greene Street Cards www.greenestgreetings.com - eco-friendly and proceeds go to a green cause!

TIP for Thursday November 8th, 2007

Our dollar may be up, but the prices still haven't dropped. It's hurtful when you pay $30 - $35 for new book and staring you right in the eye is the U.S. price at almost half! Use your library card. Libraries are constantly adding new media and give you free access to a great selection of books, movies and music. Plus many libraries offer free wireless internet and a comfortable quiet place to read that bestseller. More importantly they help keep paper and plastic out of production. More than 3.1 billion books are purchased in North America each year and most are made from non-recycled paper and petroleum based inks. Less production also means less old paperbacks for you to toss in the trash or check out www.paperbackswap.com and trade them!

Tip for Wednesday November 7th, 2007

The cool weather is here and so is the temptation to buy your very own snowblower! Of course I'm talking to the guys on this one. The cost however can be high for a piece of equipment that you may only use three times in a year. So....if you have good neighbours, pool your resources and go in on a snowblower, lawnmower or any other expensive equipment. By going half on purchases not only will you save money but you can also go for a high end model. Plus producing one lawnmower or snowblower requires half the energy and materials. Reduce...think green!

Tip for Tuesday November 6th, 2007

Your favorite pair of Gucci's heels are worn...OH the dilemma! A brand new pair sounds great, but the cash is a little tight this month, so what to do? Repair them! New heels for your shoes cost around $12 - much less than a new pair! Plus putting a new sole on your shoes uses a lot less material and energy than manufacturing a new pair. It's cheaper and doesn't require the extraction of raw materials from the earth. Don't write off that designer dress either, never fear a tailor is near, and they'll have it looking like new!

Tip for Monday November 5th, 2007

With the price of gas going up, the stress of trying to find a parking spot downtown and TTC rates, well you know... those crazy little electric cars are starting to look real cute! They're planet friendly with no direct emissions and electricity is cheaper than gas. You'll save more than $1000 per year with your electric car and they're fully charged in just 3 hours. Some models will take you 80 miles on a single charge. And last but not least they can zip around downtown and fit into any little parking space! There are several models like the Tango, Smart Car and The Telsa an electric roadster. You can check out www.gemcar.com , www.evworld.com or www.commutercars.com for more on these eco-friendly cars.

Tip for Friday November 2nd, 2007

Now that the cold weather is here so is the warm idea of snuggling up in front of the fireplace. Why not burn an eco-friendly log? They're made of sustainable materials like ethanol and even coffee and they burn longer than traditional logs! But make sure they are eco-friendly because the conventional store bought burning logs contain petroleum and may not come from a sustainably managed forest. Also stay away from burning particle board or treated woods since they release toxic chemicals.

Tip for Thursday November 1st, 2007

Did you know you can save the world while you shop? Charge it and make a GREEN donation. Some credit cards offer personal rewards and will make donations to eco-friendly charities or CO2 offsetters. Companies like Visa and MasterCard offer rewards programs that make donations to nonprofit organizations like the Union of Concerned Scientists, wildlife conservation efforts and earth rewards a GE-AES carbon offsetting program. So next time you go shopping...charge it and help save the environment! PRICELESS!

Tip for Wednesday October 31st, 2007

How to have your grandmothers silver and brass shining and sparkling without the sting of chemicals. Look for natural metal polishes that are non-toxic and free of chemicals like ammonia, that can be harmful to your lungs. It's estimated that each household disposes 1lb of hazardous waste per year down the drain. Wastes like solvent based polishes then make their way into groundwater and can contaminate our water sources.Try products that contain organic acid salts, minerals and lemon oil to get the tarnish out! Or try using some ingredients that you have around the house; To clean Brass: use equal parts lemon juice, salt, and water; Silver: equal parts baking soda and water; Stainless steel: olive oil! Happy polishing ;)

Tip for Tuesday October 30th, 2007

How to have the do without the toxic glue! Today you can find a range of non-aerosol hairsprays that can still give you that fabulous hairstyle that lasts all day. Aerosol products contain a carcinogenic chemical that's converted into carbon monoxide in the body. Plus they create a lot of trash because aerosol cans are not recyclable. Certified organic hairsprays are made with ingredients that ensure chemicals won't be washed down the drain into our natural waterways and the bottles can be recycled. And last but not least natural ones smell better! Look for products containing wheat protein, vitamin B5, aloe, witch hazel extract and jojoba oil to give you shine and hydration. Or check out this recipe for your own homemade version!
Combine two cups of of water with the juice of one organic lemon (or orange for really dry hair) in a saucepan and simmer until it boils. Cool and strain the mixture, then pour into a spray bottle. Try at your own risk ;)

Tip for Monday October 29th, 2007

Daylight Savings ends this Sunday, and that means turning back our clocks and higher electricity bills! Artificial lighting ads up to almost 15% of your homes electricity use. So....make the most of the natural sunlight. Open your curtains and shades during the day, then close them at night for better heat insulation. If your planing on doing some upgrades to your home, North and South facing windows are best because they let in the most even natural daylight. East and West facing windows let in more morning and evening light however they produce glare that doesn't help with temperature regulation. More sunlight in your life during the winter months also means better biorhythms and less depression!