TIP for Friday May 30th, 2008

If the rain holds up it could be a great weekend to build a green deck. Sustainable decking, with eco-wood, staining, and sealants, are now available at prices that won’t dent your pocket! Choose wood that isn't harvested and look for the FSC Canada seal. Plus use low VOC emitting finishes and sealants, that will still offer durability and aesthetic appeal without leaving you polluting the air. If you’re just refinishing an old deck, use an electric sander instead of paint remover as a greener option. For more info on FSC seals go to www.fsccanada.org and to learn more about VOC’s in paints and sealers, and the effects on the environment check out http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

TIP for Tuesday May 27th, 2008

It's Energy Conservation Week and you can do you part in helping to reach the province's energy conservation goals by making small changes in your home.

*Replace your standard light bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They use up to 75 % less electricity and last up to 10 times longer.

*Whenever you leave a room, get into the habit of turning off the lights.

*Install motion sensors and programmable timers on interior and exterior lights. They are ideal for rooms where you may forget to turn off the lights.

*Maximize the amount of natural daylight.

*Shade your south and west facing windows with awnings, solar screens, reflective window film or leaf bearing trees.

For more tips on how you reduce your energy consumption go to http://www.energyconservationweek.ca/action/index.aspx

TIP for Wednesday May 28th, 2008

It's Energy Conservation week and I’ve given you ways to reduce your energy consumption at home…so today let talk about simple changes you can make at your work place.

*Talk to your company about raising the office temperature by two degrees. Most people won't notice the temperature change, but you'll significantly reduce your companys energy consumption.

*Put someone in charge of ensuring that all equipment, like monitors, printers, speakers etc., are shut off at the end the day.

*Use a power bar with an integrated timer to shut off all your devices at the end of the day, or unplug your electronics when you're away from them for an extended period of time. This will lessen the PHANTOM LOAD, electricity that is consumed even when they turned off, such as a TVs, phone chargers, DVDs, VCRs, even coffeemakers with clocks and timers.

*Turn off ALL the lights, your computers and any other office equipment, including office kitchen appliances, when you're not using them, especially overnight, weekends and holidays. This practice costs nothing and can deliver significant energy and money savings.

For more tips and info on Energy Conservation week check out www.energyconservationweek.ca

TIP for Monday May 26th, 2008

Energy Conservation Week is about the power of collective action. By working together, we can create the culture of conservation Ontario needs to reach its short- and long-term energy conservation goals To keep our power grid healthy, Ontarians will need to reduce their energy consumption by 6,300 Megawatts (MW) by 2025, that is equivalent to taking one in five electricity consumers off the power grid!
There are lots of different ways for you to get involved in Energy Conservation Week
Things you can do at home:

-Install a programmable thermostat, properly set it can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10%. In the summer set your central air conditioner for 25C when you are home and 28C when you are away. In the winter set your thermostat at 20C when you are home and 18C when sleeping or away.

-Turn your air conditioner up whenever possible to help reduce the strain on the electricity system during peak demand periods (noon to 8pm).

-Service your central air system annually.

-Whenever possible to help reduce the strain on the electricity system, use your appliances after 8 p.m., when electricity usage is not at its peak.

-Run the dishwasher only when it's full.

-Close your refrigerator door on a five dollar bill or piece of paper. If you can pull it out easily, you may need to replace the door gasket. Tight sealing gaskets keep cold air in and lower energy costs.
For more on Energy Conservation week go to http://www.energyconservationweek.ca

*Check out Green Screens Monday, May 26 to Saturday, May 31. FREE Screenings, discussions and workshops. A special edition of the National Film Board of Canada's monthly environment series, for info on films and screenings go to their website
http://nfb.ca/sections/green-screens.php

TIP for Friday May 23rd, 2008

Are you going to do some gardening this weekend? Make sure you use the new organic fertilizers and potting soils. They are better for the earth as well as your plants because they get your plants growing without synthetic chemicals, that can runoff and contaminate the groundwater. You can even make your own fertilizer by composting. The average household produces about 200 lbs of kitchen waste per year. By keeping it for your garden you will help lighten the load on landfills and save money in your pocket, because it’s free fertilizer! Another trick is to sprinkle used coffee grounds around your plants to give your plants their nitrogen fix. For a complete guide to composting check out http://www.compostguide.com

TIP for Thursday May 22nd, 2008

Now that summer’s almost here time to get the pool ready! This year switch to non-chlorine pool cleaners. Chlorine is damaging to your body as well as the environment. When mixed with organic matter, chlorine can form cancer-causing byproducts. Chlorine levels in pools are 200-400 times higher than what's deemed safe for the environment, plus mercury is a by-product of chlorine production. The benefits are not only GREEN but you’ll avoid the nasty chlorine smell and green hair! There are many eco friendly pool cleaners on the market. Look for products with silver and copper and other minerals, they help control algae and bacteria. Another alternative is a saltwater pool, they are not only environmentally friendly but therapeutic. For more info on saltwater pools check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_pool

TIP for Wednesday May 21st, 2008

It’s BBQ season, time for you to fire up the GREEN grill! This year avoid using lighter fluids made from not-so-eco, nonrenewable petroleum distillates that let off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and contribute to unhealthy, ground-level ozone pollution. Now that’s a mouthful! VOCs can cause everything from headaches to cancer. Look for more eco friendly ways to light your grill, like the old school plug in wand or dip paper towels in vegetable oil and light them. Another method of greener grilling is to use a gas barbeque, they produce about half as much CO2 as charcoal grills, and about 1/3 as much as electric grills.

TIP for Tuesday May 20th, 2008

Thinking about cleaning out the garage or basement this weekend? Make sure you take any potentially dangerous chemicals, like antifreeze and pesticides - to a nearby drop-spot, and let the pros dispose of them. Just 1 gallon of improperly disposed-of oil can contaminate a million gallons of H2O. Plus each year, 90,000 pets and 4,000 kids ingest antifreeze - so if you're not using it, consider sending it off for disposal.

Statistics Canada showed that most Canadians are still putting toxic items such as expired medication, dead batteries, old paint and outdated computers at the curb with the rest of the trash, in spite of the risks to human and environmental health. To find out more on Hazardous household waste and where the city’s drop off depots are got to

http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/depots.htm

TIP for Friday May 16th, 2008

Not only are we going to be enjoying the long holiday weekend... but so are the bugs!! Yes they are back to celebrate the Victoria Day weekend, and if you want to get rid of the pests try using a natural bait trap or natural sprays. Nowadays there are better options with some of the big name bug sprays containing plant-based ingredients. They are just as long lasting as the conventional chemicals, easy to use, maintenance free, and disposable! Also look for all-natural traps. Check out these links www.planetnatural.com/site/big-stinky-fly-trap.html www.commonsensecare.com/sharpshooter-insect-killer.html www.ridmax.com/orderform.htm www.monsterflytrap.com or this home made recipe for trapping fruit flies
Take a small jar or juice glass. Pour a little apple cider vinegar in the bottom of it. Take a small square of paper and make it into a cone shaped funnel, leaving a small hole at the tip (like a little dunce cap with a quarter centimeter hole at the top). Invert the cone into the jar so that the hole at the tip hovers right above the vinegar. You might need to fold the paper over the top of the glass a little to get it to stay. Set it on the counter or wherever your fruit flies are. They will be attracted to the vinegar, will fly down the funnel and will get trapped and won't be able to figure out how to fly back out the hole. You'll have to clean out and replace the jar every other day or so, but after about a week, your flies should be gone

TIP for Thursday May 15th, 2008

Junk mail!!!! It drives us nuts!! We each receive over 500 pieces of junk mail per year, and waste about 8 hours just dealing with it! Junk mail and flyers use valuable natural resources like trees and water. Every year 100 million trees are used to make junk mail. Listen up if you own you are a business owner…turn your company GREEN by going having paperless flyers. Johnny Q, our image guy, told me about this great site that he and his wife found. They keep a computer in the kitchen, keep all their recipes on it and make their grocery list. They surf the web and check out local store’s online flyers. Some sites to check out are www.flyerland.ca www.smartflyer.ca and www.smartcanucks.ca

TIP for Wednesday May 12th, 2008

GAS PRICES!!! They are insane and now the pumps may be ripping us off? I got an email from a listener Monday about a new gadget on the market that allows you to run your car on water. I have to investigate it a little more before I tell you about it but in the mean you might want to think of some other transportation options for the summer. Like a bike! Just think of the bonuses, you’ll create less pollution and have great looking legs. Every gallon of gasoline we burn creates about 20 pounds of climate change-causing CO2, and biking can burn about 173 calories per hour.
You’ll save tons of money too! A typical family spends nearly $8,000 per year operating a car, while a bike might cost you $50 for an annual tune-up.

TIP for Tuesday May 13th, 2008

Car washing season is here, so why not get a green clean by using nontoxic, biodegradable soap and turning off the hose between rinses. You can save more than 100 gallons of water per wash by using a bucket and turning off the hose while scrubbing or go to a professional. Pro car washes will save up to 130 gallons and drive-through washes save up to 70gallons. Even better, try a waterless wash kit. If you do wash at home, use an eco-cleaner that doesn’t have ammonia or toxic chemicals. Ammonia can degrade rubber and window tint over time, and chemicals from toxic cleaners can run off into storm drains and into natural waterways.

TIP for Monday May 12th, 2008

It’s spring, the flowers are in bloom and the grass is growing! Time to pull out the lawn mower for the first trim of the year. And if you hate to clean afterwards, I’ve got good news for you… leave your grass clippings on the lawn for a healthy nitrogen boost. Grass clippings release nitrogen, so you don’t have to use fertilizer. Less synthetic fertilizer means less nitrogen runoff into waterways. That’s a good thing because too much nitrogen can causes algae overgrowth and kill aquatic life. Plus you’ll not only spend less on fertilizer but on trash bags to collect the trimmings. It’s estimated that yard waste like grass clippings accounts for 18% of household trash. Now you have more time to sit and relax in your yard and enjoy a cold drink!

TIP for Friday May 9th, 2008

With the ban of pesticides, try an all natural way that will ensure a pest free garden…Ladybugs!!! A single ladybug can eat as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. Those insecticides commonly used to kill pests (aphids) tend to also kill insects that are beneficial to gardens. Make a your garden a home for ladybugs by planting cilantro, dandelions, dill, fennel and yarrow. That will encourage ladybugs to set up camp permanently and defend your garden. Also look for Lady Bug Attractant from your local garden centre. Ladies first!!

TIP for Thursday May 8th, 2008

Now that the warm weather is here, we are heading outdoors more for walks and bike rides with our trusty water bottle in hand to stay hydrated! When choosing a re-useable water bottle stay away from the clear hard plastic bottles marked with a 7 or PC (polycarbonate). They are made from plastic that contains the toxin bisphenol A (BPA). A 2007 study links BPA to enlarged male breasts, earlier puberty in girls, and cancer. Last month The Government released its Draft Screening Assessment for bisphenol A, which concluded that the chemical may pose some risk to infants and proposed classifying the chemical as "'toxic' to human health and the environment."

http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/challenge-defi/bisphenol-a_e.html



http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i17/8617news4.html

TIP for Wednesday May 7th, 2008

Today we are going to try to help our fellow people! Last week Myanmar, also know as Burma was ravished by a one of the most powerful cyclone’s in history! It has killed over 20,000 people, millions have been left homeless (they are reporting 2-3 million people), and thousands more are missing. They are saying the death toll may reach far above 100,000 and may be worst than the death toll from the tsunami in 2004. In some areas 95% of the buildings have been destroyed. The government has asked World Vision and the UN to supply medicine and housing supplies such as metal roofing sheets, tents and tarpaulins.
World Vision is appealing to Canadians in an effort to raise $1 million. Your generous gift will help provide crucial and life-saving emergency support to the people of Myanmar. Let's do what we can by logging on to

http://www.globalgiving.com/myanmar.html



Thanks for your support ;)

TIP for Tuesday May 6th, 2008

Does your home use natural gas? Well switching off the pilot light on your fireplace, furnace or stove during the warm summer months will save loads of natural gas. The pilot light on a gas fireplace can use 1/2 the total gas a gas fireplace burns in a year, and the process for extracting natural gas is resource-intensive. With the high gas prices, you can save about $50 on your bill each year if you turn off a pilot light during the warmer months. It’s easy, once you know where the valve is and how to turn it off, it'll take you just a couple min each year. Check the manual for instructions on how to turn it off to be extra safe.
Check out this site to calculate how much natural gas your pilot light uses
http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/home/appcalc_gas.aspx

TIP for Monday May 5th, 2008

Tomorrow morning if you pass by Yonge Dundas Square and do a double take….it’s because Barefoot Wines is celebrating summer early and bringing the beach to us to help save our beaches! Head down tomorrow morning between 10am-11am, and go barefoot in the sand complete with palm trees, lounge chairs and beach music, and help raise $10,000 to keep Toronto’s beaches safe, clean and swimmable. For every person who goes barefoot a $100 will be donated to Environmental Defence. Environmental Defence tackles environmental and health issues like climate change, harmful chemicals, plants and animals facing extinction and clean beaches. They are behind the international Blue Flag program, a symbol of clean beaches. Toronto is the first city in North America to apply for Blue Flag certification. They have evaluated 14 of Toronto’s beaches. For more info log on to http://www.environmentaldefence.ca and to see what Ontario beaches have been blue flag certified and to read the report.
Famous Team Flow and some our FLOW staff will be out at Yonge Dundas Square going barefoot in the sand for a good cause!!

TIP for Friday May 2nd, 2008

TIP for Friday May 2nd, 2008

Mothers Day is next weekend and this year why not give an earth friendly gift. Send her an ecard and save trees or look for pretty, fair-trade jewelry, that part proceeds go to a women's rights non profit organization. If mom likes candles pick her up some beeswax candles or ones made from natural products like soy. Put a twist on the traditional bouquet of flowers and give an oxygen generating houseplant. It’s gift that will keep on giving. Or give an experience gift like; A class on wine, cooking, yoga, or dancing; a gift certificate to a spa, restaurant, or coffeehouse; a round of play at a golf course or miniature golf course; or a membership to a theater or arts organization, a museum, or a park/conservation organization. Or create a homemade gift certificate to help moms with chores like changing the oil or weeding the garden.

TIP for Thursday May 1st, 2008

Everyone’s getting down with being GREEN. Computer manufacturers decided to get down with planet-friendliness and the newest computers on the market are also the greenest computers. Manufacturers are using recycled plastic in computers and packaging, and making sure components are easily recyclable when they become obsolete. Companies are also phasing out chemicals like the human toxins arsenic and mercury that are found in typical PC screens. Most computers on the market are now Energy Star qualified, which means more money in your pocket! Some GREEN PC’s are The MacBook AIR, Mac Mini and the HP rp5700, all three are made from mostly recyclable materials and are energy efficient!