TIP for Tuesday March 25th, 2008

After reading the front page of one of the local paper this morning I thought I should bring this green tip back. The article says that a recent report found painkillers, antibiotics, and cholesterol lowering drugs in our water coming from 15 Southern Ontario treatment plants. These drugs enter our water system when people throw out unused pills in the sink and toilet. They make their way through the wastewater treatment plants into the environment and eventually into out tap water. The levels of these drugs are in extremely low concentrations but over time it can’t good for you. So what do you do with your unused meds? Contact your pharmacy, many pharmacies have safe drug disposal programs. Also gather medications in their original containers and drop them off at a City Household Waste Depot, click on this link for a depot location near you www.toronto.ca/garbage/depots.htm

You can call the HHW Hotline for more information at 416-392-4330

TIP for Monday March 24th, 2008

LEED, it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it's the most widely accepted stamp of approval to certify that a building's green. LEED provides standards to look for when building or buying an apartment or house, helping us determine what's really green. Buildings account for more than 40% of CO2 emissions worldwide, that's more than the 35% that car emissions create. LEED buildings - which take into account the site, water, energy, resources, and indoor environmental quality - reduce CO2 by 30%-40%. Green buildings typically cost 2% more initially, but you'll recoup 20% of building costs over 20 years, thanks to lower utility bills. For more on LEED buildings in Canada log on to http://www.cagbc.org/

TIP for Thursday March 20th, 2008

It's the first day of spring. Out with the old and in with the new look. A new hair color for a new season? Get a fabulous new doo without out doing damage to the environment with a natural hair dye. Look for plant-based dyes, they will gently color your hair without altering it's structure or natural color. Standard dyes contain chemical ingredients like ammonia and peroxide, which when combined can cause damage to your hair and possible allergic reactions. Henna and natural dyes not only color your hair, but they act as conditioning agents to keep it protected and healthy and are free from coal tar. There is an increasing number of studies linking long-time hair dye use with cancer, including bladder and bone marrow cancers. The FDA does not regulate the ingredients in hairdyes (synthetic and natural), so it’s recommended to perform a patch test first to determine any allergic reactions. Happy coloring!

TIP for Wednesday March 19th, 2008

Many of us think that letting your car idle uses less gas than turning your car off and on again, but it usually doesn't. An idling car creates twice the emissions of a car in motion. Check out the money your wasting. Idling 15 min per weekday can cost you up to $100 in wasted gas over the course of a year. Besides saving money you’ll also be saving oil. North American drivers use more than 2 billion gallons of fuel each year while idling. Think off all the air pollution you create by idling especially in drive thru lines and school parking lots. All those fumes can’t be good for our kids while we are waiting to pick them up. Turn your car off if you're be in one spot longer than 20 seconds, and BTW: Driving warms up your car way faster than idling.

TIP for Tuesday March 18th, 2008

Do you stress yourself out trying to get the lime out of the bottle before you toss it in the recycle bin? Good news you can recycle it with the lime still inside. In fact, none of your recyclables need to be spotless, since most "contaminants" get cleaned out or burned away during re-manufacturing. You waste a lot of water washing out recyclables. It takes about two glasses of water to clean out a glass jar. Of course don't throw a container full of moldy food into the bin because it will attract pests but you don't have to rinse it until it's completely clean either.

TIP for Monday March 17th, 2008

Antibacterial cleansers...are they more effective than regular soap? Researchers have proven they're not. U of MI researchers reviewed 27 studies conducted between 1980 and 2006 and found that plain soaps are just as effective as those containing triclosan. Antibacterial soaps with triclosan can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics and it breaks down in the environment, including in tap water, to chlorinated chemicals that pose both environmental and health concerns. For more info on the effects of triclosan go to this link http://www.bodyburden.org/chemicals/chemical.php?chemid=100376

So to get the same affect but by using natural antibacterials look for soaps with essential oils like thyme oil, lavender, lemon and jojoba oil and be green!

TIP for Friday March 14th, 2008

Is your thermostat just wasting energy. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically use less heat while you're at work and asleep. Doing this will prevent energy bill. And last the new programmable thermostats are Mercury-free. If you really want to get high tech they even have ones that allow you set different temps for weekdays, Saturday and Sunday, and even show you how much energy you save.

TIP for Thursday March 13th, 2008

If you have to use a dryer to dry your clothes make sure you clean out your dryer's lint filter before each use. It's more than a good habit. You can cut down on your energy bill, dry your clothes more quickly (and cleanly) and reduce your home's fire hazards www.dryerbox.com/dryer_fire_articles.htm. Dryer lint is the leading cause of fires started in the laundry rooms of homes. You'll save energy and increase dryer efficiency by 30%. Most households spend up to $135 per year in energy costs just drying clothes. Cleaning out the lint filter could save up to $40 a year. For tips on how to save energy while washing your clothes check out this site www.sdge.com/forms/washersDryers.pdf

TIP for Wednesday March 12th, 2008

Do you love to cook with fresh herbs? Try growing them indoors. It’s an easy and fun way to enjoy nature inside and add aromatic and medicinal flavor to your home. Of course fresh organic herbs are better for cooking and growing them yourself means they are free and free of chemicals. The EPA considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides and 30% of all insecticides to be cancer-causing. You'll save energy too. Modern farming consumes 12% of the country's total energy supply. More energy is now used to produce synthetic fertilizers than to till, cultivate and harvest all the crops in North America. Try your green thumb and be sure to give your herb plants at least 6 hours of light daily and add a little organic fertilizer to the water every three to four weeks. Start with rosemary, its the easiest to grow.

TIP for Tuesday March 11th, 2008

If you have an older water heater and you've been considering a new one but you're a little low on funds this tip is for you. Purchase a water heater insulation blanket, it will save you energy and money! With an insulation blanket the water in the tank stays hot longer and reduces the amount of energy needed to heat the water. When its properly installed, (it’s easy - installation usually only takes about 30min) it will pay for itself within the first year from the energy that you'll save. If your heater is more than 7 years old, give it a blankie: Another way to reduce energy consumption is to check the temperature on your water heater. A setting of 120◦ (rather then the pre-set 140◦) will help and also reduce the risk of scalds from overheated water. For more great do-it-yourself energy saving ideas go to: www.ase.org/uploaded_files/powersmart/

TIP for Monday March 10th, 2008

Are you torn (no pun intended) between paper towels and hand driers? Which is more eco-friendly? Well drying your hands with your hands with an electric hand-dryer uses about 1/3 of the electricity that is needed to produce paper towels and obviously no trees are cut down. Plus there is pretty good chance the paper towels you use to dry your hands with in a public restroom aren't recycled after you throw them away. And last hand-dryers require less maintenance than paper towels, which need constant refilling and don't always make it into the trash can but on the floor. If you're a business owner, check out this link to find out how much you can save by installing an electric hand-dryer www.parish-supply.com/CostSavings.asp

TIP for Friday March 7th, 2008

If you don’t have to drive tomorrow leave the car home and take the better way…public transit. Less time on the roads means less gas used and more money in your pocket. And to get more fuel efficiency out of your car follow some simple green car tips. Change your filters regularly. Changing just the air filter can increase your mileage by up to 10%. Stop speeding. For every kph over 88 that you drive, fuel economy drops 2%. That means that your mileage at 120 kph is about half of what it is at 80. Join a car pool and reduce your driving by over 50%. And last, check for leaks under the car and help to keep local waterways clean. Just a few quarts of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water.

TIP for Thursday March 6th, 2008

Allergies result in almost 4 million missed workdays in North America every year. Break free with natural remedies. They can be just as effective as allergy drugs, but usually have fewer side effects. You'll avoid putting synthetic chemicals into your system and that also means fewer synthetic chemicals that could end up in our eco-systems. Plus over the counter and prescription allergy drugs have not-so-great side effects, such as anxiety, drowsiness, headaches, insomnia, and a weaker immune system. Try natural remedies like marshmallow root to help with itchy, irritated throats, flaxseed oil or stinging nettle, which is a natural antihistamine. Also recently it has been discovered that if you have an allergy to pollen, try eating local honey. This is because it has low levels of pollen unique to your area and will help your body build up a natural immunity to it. Some simple ways to prevent allergens around your house is to vacuum often, keep windows tightly closed, and consider replacing carpet with bamboo flooring or tile.

TIP for Thursday March 6th, 2008

Allergies result in almost 4 million missed workdays in North America every year. Break free with natural remedies. They can be just as effective as allergy drugs, but usually have fewer side effects. You'll avoid putting synthetic chemicals into your system and that also means fewer synthetic chemicals that could end up in our eco-systems. Plus over the counter and prescription allergy drugs have not-so-great side effects, such as anxiety, drowsiness, headaches, insomnia, and a weaker immune system. Try natural remedies like marshmallow root to help with itchy, irritated throats, flaxseed oil or stinging nettle, which is a natural antihistamine. Also recently it has been discovered that if you have an allergy to pollen, try eating local honey. This is because it has low levels of pollen unique to your area and will help your body build up a natural immunity to it. Some simple ways to prevent allergens around your house is to vacuum often, keep windows tightly closed, and consider replacing carpet with bamboo flooring or tile.

TIP for Wednesday March 5th, 2008

Plugged drain? Draino, it works but how harmful are the fumes? The toxins in commercial drain cleaners contribute to 20 pounds of hazardous waste that the average household generates each year, which of course eventually ends up in our water table. Also drain cleaners can include corrosive materials such as sulfuric acid and lye, which you really don’t want to get on your skin. Plus commercial drain cleaners are damaging to your pipes. Consider more environmentally safe options that clear drains without hurting your pocket, pipes or environment. If you want an easy, pre-made option, there are all-natural drain cleaners on the market. Or if you want to go super-natural, there are baking soda methods that are better for the environment. Try this homemade drain cleaner; just pour into your drain: 1 cup of baking soda, followed by 3 cups of boiling water; followed a minute or two later by 1 cup of vinegar.



Happy unclogging!

TIP for Tuesday March 4th, 2008

ELLEN DeGENERES is adding pet food entrepreneur to her name - she's launched a range of natural dogs' dinners that is human grade. Yes owners can eat their pets food! Why not feed your four legged child food made from natural, organic ingredients. After last years pet food recalls you can avoid questionable ingredients with more natural food. You will also be supporting companies that don't conduct animal force-feeding tests. For tips on how to understand pet food labels check out these links http://petcaretips.net/reading-pet-food-label.html http://www.housepetmagazine.com/article2_housepetmagazine_foodlabels.htm

or specifically cat food http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/reading_labels.htm

TIP for Monday March 3rd, 2008

Tax time is upon us. File your taxes online and get more out of it than being green! Filing taxes online saves paper, postage money and time. The government processes over 2 billion sheets of paper each year at tax time. E-filing means fewer forms, and getting your refund deposited directly in your account and that saves even more paper. It's easier too! Web programs and PC software will guide you through the filing process easily, quickly and accurately. E-filing is 99% accurate, versus about 80% accurate when you fill out the paper forms. You also get your returns quicker. If you e-file you can also expect to get your return in about half the time it would take with paper. The Bonus no standing in post office lines with other last-minute filers. There are many programs available online that anywhere from $10 to $29 or are free for first time users, students or people with incomes under $25,000. Check out this link for more info www.netfile.gc.ca/about-e.html