TIP for Thursday January 31st, 2008

Flameless lighters... What a concept! You can use them in high winds and you don't have to worry about how many trees were cut down, or how it's affecting the world's petroleum supply to fire up! In stead of lighter fluid and a flint, flameless lighters use resistance coils to create heat. It’s the same technology found in car lighters. They are powered by AAA batteries or for ones that are even GREENER look for the rechargeable ones!

How about this cool flameless rechargeable lighter, It has a USB port that recharges the lighter. Bonus, at the same time it can transfer data thanks to the internal flash memory. In the end you get a 2-in-1 device, with the extra point of not spending money on extra lighters. For more check out this link;
www.yankodesign.com/index.php/2007/11/02/flamless-rechargeable-usb-lighter/

Thanks to Lakeisha for this great tip! ;)

TIP for Wednesday January 30th, 2008

Believe it or not, a lot of the foods we eat are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GM foods have been available commercially in North America only since the 1990s, and in a 1998 EPA sampling, 29% of the foods tested contained detectable pesticides. The long term health risks are still unknown but anything attached with word pesticide can't be that good. With the Genetically modified foods scientists are concerned about maintaining biodiversity and believe pests will actually evolve into stronger predators to combat the pest-resistant GMOs. Plus the range of possible flavors is greater when we don't engineer the seeds and just let Mother Nature work her magic. Look out for those annoying labels that hard to peel off fruit and veggies, have a very important purpose; A four-digit number means it's conventionally grown. A five-digit number beginning with 9 means it's organic. A five-digit number beginning with 8 means it's GM.

Here's the TIP for Tuesday January 29th, 2008

With the price of gas inflating, you need to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Not only will you save gas but you will be doing your part in protecting the environment. Proper inflation can keep 383 lbs of CO2 out of the air each year. You will also improve your gas mileage by about 3%, and save up to 7 cents per gallon. With proper inflation you can extend the life of your tires by as much as 15%. Last but not least you will be safer on the roads driving. It is estimated that under inflated tires result in 660 deaths each year. To properly inflate your tires, look for the pounds per square inch (PSI) number on your tire (or in your owner's manual), and check the pressure in your tires monthly. If it's low pull into a gas station or tire center to pump it up.

TIP for Monday January 28, 2008

Water heaters...they can be environmentally demanding. Switch to a tankless water heater. They heat up water quickly and only as you need, instead of drawing from a big heated tank. Whenever you turn on the hot-water tap, water instantly flows into the on-demand heater, delivering steamy-hot H2O to the entire house. Plus you'll be decreasing CO2 emissions; on-demand water heaters use 45%-60% less energy than standard models. You'll recover the initial costs in about 10 years, and over 20 years an average household can expect to save up to $1,800 by making the switch.

For more info on what to look for when buying a tankless water heater check out this link;

www.greenhomeguide.com/index.php/knowhow/entry/734/C217

TIP for Friday January 25th,2008

Orange peels...who knew they had sooo many unique and interesting uses. Before you head to the garbage to toss those peels, think about these different uses:

1. Freshen your Garbage Disposal: Cut up the orange peels and put them in your garbage disposal. While running cold water down the drain, run the disposal. It will not only help kill germs, but it will also improve the smell dramatically!

2. Quick Potpourri: Throw your citrus peels in a pot with water, cloves and cinnamon sticks to freshen the air in your kitchen.

3. Pleasant Smelling Kindling: Oranges have a lot of flammable oil within their peels. If you allow the peels to air dry slowly and then you can use them to start fires instead of newspapers.

4. Deter Cats: Tired of cats using you flower or vegetable garden as his personal toilet? Cats have very sensitive noses so scatter orange peels mixed with coffee grounds around the area and the cats will stay away.

5. Get Rid of Ants: If you have too many ants around your home, you can take citrus peels and water to make a powerful potion. Simply blend the peels and water together and place on any ant hills that are too close to your home. They can’t stand the scent and will build their homes elsewhere.

6. Mosquito Repellent: You can rub orange peels on your skin because gnats and mosquitos hate the smell. If you are sitting outside, you can place the peels around your sitting area to keep them away as well. Around the campfire? Simmer some water with orange peels to keep the little buggers away!

Some people will even dry out orange peels and grind them into body powder! However you use your peels, remember they can be used for some great uses to save you money!

Orange you glad I told you? ;)

TIP for Thursday January 24th, 2008

Is your favourite line at the food store the 10 items or less? It might save a couple minutes, but if you fill up your cart and then go home and fill up your fridge and cupboards you'll make fewer overall trips to the store. This means saving energy, money and time! 1/2 of the pollution associated with transporting your food comes from your drive to and from the store (the other 1/2 comes from the transport from farm to the distribution center to the store). Best of all, your fridge and freezer are more efficient when they are full. A more efficient fridge means lower electricity bills and that translates to more cash! In a power outage, your fridge will even hold the temp for twice as long than if it is half-full. Just be sure not to pack it so full that the cold air can't circulate. You'll save even more money when you don't have to make as many trips to the food store, and just think of the time you'll save not having to find a parking space!

Here's some more tips;

* Stock up the fridge, but be smart about your produce choices so that you aren't letting all your purchases spoil before you get a chance to eat 'em.
* If your fridge is empty, pack it with water-filled containers to keep running efficiently.
* Be green and always remember to bring your own bags to the store.

Tip for Wednesday January 23rd, 2008

New Year means new appliances...like an electric kettle. These portable pots heat your H2O in less time using less energy. Electric kettles use up to 50% less energy than stovetop kettles, and heat water almost twice as fast as regular ones. Look for glass and stainless-steel electric kettles so you can worry less about plastic from regular electrics migrating from kettle to cup. Here's a tip for those who like to heat up water in the microwave...put a wooden stir stick in so the heat is evenly transfered and to prevent the water exploding in your face. Check out these sites for info on the health hazrds of microwaving water and the effect heating plastics containers can have;

www.ghchealth.com/microwave-ovens-the-proven-dangers.html

www.environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health/stop-toxic-toys/to

TIP for Tuesday January 22nd, 2008

This year when you start to think about your spring and summer wardrobe why not avoid DRY CLEAN ONLY labels and choose a greener cleaner. Traditional Dry Cleaners use a chem called perc and it has been classified as a "groundwater contaminant" and "hazardous air pollutant" by the EPA. Plus 70% of perc used in dry cleaning ends up in nature and its a probable carcinogen. If you have to use a dry cleaner, look for Green Cleaners that use Wet Cleaning, CO2 cleaning and then your last resort...Silicone-based cleaning (for more info check out this link www.greenearthcleaning.com )
To professionally wetclean any garment requires a vast understanding of fabrics, the cleaning process, and experience that only a professional cleaner can ensure. Even though wetcleaning uses water, it is much more specialized than home laundry which can ruin many garments. Cleaners who offer professional wetcleaning are able to clean many of your garments. When you take the garments in, the cleaner will decide whether to use professional wetcleaning or professional dry cleaning, depending on the fabric type and construction of the item.

To really understand the beauty of professional wetcleaning, let's first talk about the basics of fine garment cleaning in general. To clean any garment or fabric requires that four elements be present: solvent, detergents, agitation, and heat. Wetcleaning balances these four elements to create the optimum cleaning environment - one that neither shrinks, stretches, fades or alters the garment. In conventional dry cleaning, the dominant solvent used is called Perchloroethylene or "Perc". The term "dry" indicates that almost no water is used in the cleaning process; however, the clothes are submerged in a liquid Perc bath with special detergents, spun to extract the excess chemical (which is recycled) and then tumbled dry.

Professional wetcleaning uses water, the most benign and abundant solvent available on the planet. The input of the four elements of garment cleaning (solvent, detergents, agitation, and heat) are computer controlled based on the type of fabric being cleaned. In water, non-toxic detergents and conditioners are used to lift dirt out of the garment and revitalize the fabric. The garments are agitated in the computerized wetcleaning machine just enough to extract the dirt and grime, but not enough to alter the structure, size or color. The garments are then transferred to a high-tech drying unit that senses humidity as many as 400 times per minute. To ensure that no shrinkage occurs, the dryer automatically stops once the prescribed level of moisture is reached. During drying, the conditioners that were added earlier are heat-activated to soften and freshen the garment. Garments are then treated as they would in the dry cleaning process - wrinkles are pressed out, garments are hung up and bagged.


The benefits of buying clothes that don't need dry cleaning; are no more wire hangers, and fresher smelling clothes!

TIP for Monday January 21st, 2008

Over 90% of North American households use paper towels, creating over 3,000 tons of waste each day. If every household replaced one roll of non-recycled paper towels with a roll of 100% recycled paper towels, we would save 864,000 trees and 3.4 million cubic feet of landfill space. Plus, for every ton of 100% recycled paper that is bought, about 4000kWh of energy and 7,000 gallons of water are also saved and it avoids releasing 60 lbs of pollutants into the air. To prevent paper towel waste try using dispensers. Controlled paper towel roll and sheet dispensers combined save paper by 25 to 35%, and require less packaging than stand-alone rolls or folded towels. The best way to save paper towel is to try to use cotton or linen reusable towels as often and possible, and use recycled paper towels. Look for towels that boast no less than a 40% post-consumer waste content and don’t use a whole lot of packaging. Choose unbleached paper towels first, process chlorine-free (PCF) second, and elemental chlorine-free (ECF) third. Last uy items having the largest amount of product with a higher square footage.

TIP for Friday January 18th, 2008

Are you always cold during the winter? Get an energy-saving space heater. They have more benefits than just warming you up. First you'll save money, 56% of the energy an average home uses goes to heating heating cooling. Space heaters use about 14% of the energy that the average central heating system uses and you can turn down the heat in the rest of the house, and only heat the area that you're in with the space heater. Second you'll be using less of the world's petroleum when you use ones that run off water. And thirdly, you'll be doing your part keeping the planet's temperature from rising. The last two decades were the hottest in 400 years, so we can all do our part by using less energy.
It's very important that you follow safety guidelines when using a space hater to prevent accidents and fires. Check out the City of Toronto's guidelines;
Toronto Fire Services reminds all Toronto residents that heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires each year.

• Only purchase and use electric space heaters that have been certified by a regulatory body such as the Canadian Standards Association (C.S.A.) or Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL, U.C.).
• Keep and maintain a 1 meter (36 inches) clearance between all heating equipment and anything that can burn.
• Never use space heaters to dry items that can burn such as clothing or blankets.
• Never leave space heaters unattended and turn them off every time you leave the room or go to bed.
• Always supervise children and pets around heating equipment.
• Have heating equipment such as furnaces, wood stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors and all other fuel-fired heating equipment inspected annually by a professional, and cleaned as often as inspections suggest.
• For fireplaces and wood stoves, use only wood that is properly seasoned to reduce creosote build-up.
• Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room.
• Allow fireplace and wood stove ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container.
• Do not use your oven to heat your home.
• If your power is out, use flashlights. Avoid using candles.
• Test smoke alarms monthly and install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.
For more info be sure to check out;
www.toronto.ca/fire/prevention

TIP for Thursday January 17th, 2008

Are you suffering from the New Year's blues? Write it down. Writing in a journal can help relieve stress and help you get a better outlook on what's really bothering you. But be sure to write down your feelings in a journal that is made from recycled materials....you can get things off your chest and still be environmentally friendly at the same time! We use more than 90 million tons of trees per year to make paper products. Using recycled paper or paper made form materials other than virgin wood will save millions of trees! Look for journals that are made from sustainable fibers like kenaf and lokta bark, they look cool and you'll be doing your small part!

What is kenaf? Click on here to find out;
Kenaf

For more info on lokta bark products check out this link;
www.nepalipaper.com

TIP for Wednesday January 16th, 2008

With all the new hybrid models that car dealers are bringing us this year it getting easier and cheaper to make your next car a hybrid . Hybrid vehicles run off a self-charging battery and smaller amounts of gasoline. Although they still use gas, the battery takes on a lot of the work. A few years ago, there were only two hybrid models available. today, car buyers can chose from more than dozen models, including SUVs and sports cars! With a hybrid you'll save at the gas pump because you can get anywhere from 30-60 mpg in city driving. Hybrid vehicles can also reduce smog emissions by 90%. Unlike the original electric-powered vehicles, hybrids can reach speeds of up to 160 km/ph, and can now go 0-100 km/ph in 8 seconds. For more info on what make and model now come in hybrid check out www.hybridcars.com and find your next car.

TIP for Tuesday January 15th, 2008

We’ve all heard about the six-pack-soda-rings killing animals. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to protect our wildlife and create less waste. First, cut the plastic 6-pack rings before you throw them out because they can wrap around animals’ fins and limbs and be sure to properly dispose them. Some animals mistake garbage for food and if they ingest the plastic it can cause choking or block their digestive systems. Second become an eco-friendly shopper. Opt for products with minimal or less wasteful packaging. Try to look for environmentally friendly packaging and stay away from the plastic six pack rings. In many areas, plastic materials constitute as much as 90-95% of the total amout debris found in our waters. Check out this link for additional ocean-friendly tips www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ta_choices ,and this site with steps that recreational boaters and fishermen can take to reduce litter www.cleanboating.org/research/boat2a.html

TIP for Monday January 14th, 2007

Bubble wrap...and those little styrofoam packing peanuts. They're not recyclable, and they create ALOT of waste! What should you do with them? Re-Use them! You'll save money if you save them for that next parcel you have to ship to grandma. More than 1,500 shipping companies in North America will take those styrofoam nuts and bubble wrap off your hands. This in turn means less production of new ones because most companies can meet 50% of their packing fill needs from donations. If you must buy packing filler go with eco-friendly options like packing peanuts made from corn starch that will decompose. Check out these link for more details; http://store.uhaul.com/product_detail.aspx?id=730 , http://www.thegreenoffice.com/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,36511/Itemid,10/

TIP for Friday January 11th, 2008

Are you on every catalog mailing list know to man? This year get off the mailing lists and save energy and paper. On average each household receives about 60 mailbox-clogging catalogs per year. It takes 53 mil trees and enough water to fill 81,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools each year to produce all those catalogs.We also waste about 8 hrs per year dealing with junk mail and almost half of it doesn't get recycled! Plus without the catalogs your urge to spend money you don't have will lessen without the temptation of glossy pages filled with shiny new things. Check out these websites for tips on how to get your name off mailing lists and tips on what to do with junk mail;

www.nativeforest.org/stop_junk_mail/nfn_junk_mail_guide.htm
five easy steps to stopping junk mail

http://www.greendimes.com is a company that will remove you from unwanted mailing lists AND plant trees.

www.catalog choice.org will stop catalog spam

www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference another free easy way to get your name off mailing lists

Tip for Thursday January 10th, 2007

Formaldehyde (we all know what it's typically used for...) is a preservative that's found in many of our personal care products like perfume and nail polish. Formaldehyde is classified as a possible carcinogen by the EPA and can cause itching and burning of the skin. It's already been banned for use in cosmetics in Japan and Sweden, but it can still be found in products here in North America. Check the label and look for Diasolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl and Quaternium-15, these ingredients make break down or release formaldehyde. Plus when you use a product that contains formaldehyde and then wash it off your face, it can go down the drain and get into our waterways and be harmful to wildlife. Look for products that contain natural preservatives and essential oils and stay healthy. For more info on what's toxic and what to avoid in your cosmetics check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

TIP for Wednesday January 9th, 2008

I read an article in this morning's paper about a possible local tax on plastic bags and how they've been banned in China. The Chinese government wants to drastically reduce the use of plastic bags because they are clogging up landfills. They use approximately 3 billion bags per day... that's a lot of garbage! In Ireland the government implemented a 20 cent tax on plastic bags 5 years ago. Maybe the Chinese and Irish are on to something....

Shopping bags create an insane amount of waste for something that's often in our lives for fewer than 5 minutes. In North America about 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year. Plastic bags are one of the 12 most commonly found items in coastal cleanups and harm can harm our precious sea creatures. So the next time you go shopping take your own canvas, hemp or organic cotton bags and do your part to protect the environment. Besides we are creatures of "monkey see monkey do", and when others see you bringing your own bags they will do the same and then you've started a green trend!

TIP for Tuesday January 8th, 2008

Petroleum...we use it everyday in products that we can't live without. Petrolatum is an ingredient that is made from petroleum and is found in a lot of our favourite body products, like lip balm, moisturizer, and hair wax. Petrolatum is already listed as a probable human carcinogen under the EU's Dangerous Substances Directive, but you can still find it in one out of 14 body care products produced in North America. Petroleum is not a renewable source like alternatives such as coconut oil, so once it's gone...it's gone! But the good news is that you don't have to give up your favourite grooming products, because there are plenty of organic alternatives out there that will do the job just as good or even better! Look for products that contain coconut oil, veggie oils or beeswax.

TIP for Monday January 7th, 2008

This year be sure to practice the three R's, reduce re-use and recycle. One way you can REDUCE is create less waste by ensuring that all that product is completely gone from the toothpaste tube or shampoo bottle. On average 10% of all toothpaste goes unused ans gets thrown helplessly into landfills. You'll save yourself money because you won't have to buy more toothpaste before the tube is completely finished. You might be surprised how many more days of brushing you can get out that tube if you squeeze it, shake it, cut it, water it down....use whatever tactics you have to to get it all out before you trash it! Try this;


* Cut It Up - cut your toothpaste tube or lotion bottle in half; you’ll be amazed how much is left inside.
* Shake It Up - add a little water to your shampoo, conditioner, or liquid laundry detergent bottles, then shake it up, baby.
* Turn It Upside Down - store bottles upside-down in your fridge, cabinets or shower, and let gravity work for you.
* Warm It Up - shower with bottles; the heat will soften the product inside.

TIP for Friday January 4th, 2008

The warm temperatures heading our way this weekend will thaw everything out, so why not do the same inside when pulling dinner out of the freezer for the night. Zap it in the microwave and save time and energy! Running the water tap to thaw out that chicken breast can use 3 to 5 gallons of water per minute and drain your water tank fast. A few minutes in the microwave on defrost can save you close to $25 per year on your water bill. No microwave, stick your frozen delight in the fridge the night before .

TIP for Thursday January 2nd, 2008

Happy New Year! Here's to a great GREEN 2008!

Now that the holidays are over the big question is....what to do with your Christmas tree? Toss it out? Well even organic things like trees take years to breakdown in a landfill. Most landfills are so full of compacted trash that there's usually not enough air for the trees to biodegrade. Recycling trees means turning them into wood chips which have many purposes including to help prevent erosion on beaches and trails. So the only way to go is the easiest way and recycle. All you have to is put your Christmas tree on the curb. The city of Toronto has a Christmas tree recycling program. Toronto residents can recycle, just remove all decorations, nails, wire, and plastic bags and place tree outside for collection. For more info visit http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/index.htm

Richmond Hill residents visit Richmond Hill Garbage and Recycling disposal guide

Let’s go green!