For the last eight years, I have celebrated Valentine’s Day with a significant other. I’d like to think that we stayed clear of the clichés and put our own spin on the day. We supported local restaurants, organic and fair trade products, sweat-free clothing shops and other independent businesses. No blood diamonds for us!

This February, there is no better half, and frankly Valentine’s Day is way more annoying than it used to be. Unless you are holed up in some sort of dungeon with no TV or computer, Valentine’s Day ads are everywhere - reminding you that you are single and should not expect to have a romantic surprise to look forward to.

Maybe if you’re used to being single in February, you want to say ‘duh obviously’ to my less than earth-shattering observation. But hey, breaking up ain’t easy and it doesn’t help to have Valentine’s Day show up around the corner.

On that note, here are some ideas to make Valentine’s Day a little more bearable for the broken-hearted and eco-savvy.

1. Surround yourself with people who share your values (environmental or otherwise)

Maybe now is the time to join that action and resistance group you’ve wanted to or look into some community gardening opportunities for the spring. If you’re not up for meeting new people quite yet, hang with your crew. They like being around you and will keep you busy. Remind yourself that it’s okay to lean on people when you need it.

2. Make a coffee date (at an independent coffee shop)

Still not wanting to see lots of people? Then opt for one-on-one time with someone who brings you comfort or who inspires you. Now might be the time to reconnect with an influential person in your life who has provided you with guidance in the past. Is there someone that you admire intellectually or creatively?

3. Indulge in some organic sweets and treats

Hey, we all have to eat right? What better way to treat yourself and put some money towards equitable consumption. A truly win-win scenario.

4. Make a commitment to your health, holistically

Are there several things ailing you? Sore back and neck? Digestion issues? Lack of energy? Get thinking about taking your health into your own hands. Think about how some of your issues might be inter-connected and talk to people who make those connections. Many are actually environment-related. My new chiropractor practices from a holistic perspective and helps me see the connections between my eating habits, allergies, sports routine and home and work environment.

Being good to the planet is a bonus on Valentine’s Day. No matter what you choose to do, love yourself. A healthy, happy you is the greatest gift you can give yourself and to others.

How so? Once you’re firing on all cylinders, the potential you have to make some great things happen (and attract great people) is unlimited…

Will Mr.Groundhog see his shadow this year?

Groundhog Day is celebrated across North America on February 2.

According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. However, if the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. So keep your fingers crossed and hope that Mr.Groundhog does not see his shadow, so that the spring arrives soon!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Household appliances account for about 20% of the average homeowner’s electricity bill. Over the last two decades, Canadian appliance manufacturers have greatly improved the efficiency of these appliances. For example, today’s refrigerators use less than half the electricity of those built in 1984 or earlier.

The Ontario Power Authority’s Great Refrigerator Roundup program began in 2006 and has led to the collection and decommissioning of over 500 fridges and more than 200 freezers.

Recycling is a key element of the program. Refrigerators collected through the program will be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner, resulting in significantly reduced contribution to local landfill.

So want to get rid of your old fridge? And put money in your pocket?

That old, inefficient second fridge of yours is wasting up to $120 - $150 per year in electricity. If you have an electricity-guzzling fridge that’s fifteen years old or more, you can get rid of it the easy way. Just visit http://everykilowattcounts.ca/residential/fridge/ for more information. 

You won’t have to lift a finger, and you’ll be doing the right thing for the environment!

Last month, the World Meteorological Organization reported that the decade 2000-2009 was the warmest on record. 2009 itself was one of the five hottest years recorded of all time.

The period from 2000 through 2009 has been “warmer than the 1990s, which were warmer than the 1980s, and so on,” Michel Jarraud, the secretary general of the international weather agency, said at a news conference in Copenhagen last month.

The international assessment on temperatures from 2000 to 2009 largely meshes with an interim analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States, which independently estimates global and regional temperature and other weather trends, reports the New York Times.

With two weeks of the new year under our belts, is  another dubious record in store for 2010?

Remember a recent phenomenon called An Inconvenient Truth? Remember the guy who wrote it?

He may not be your favorite ex-politician or environmentalist, but Al Gore definitely knows what he’s talking about when it comes to climate change. His extremely influential research, activism and recognition catapulted climate change into the common person’s vernacular in North America and around the world.

Al Gore’s latest book Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis covers effective solutions available now to address climate change. Presented in a reader-friendly format with issue-based chapters and a helpful index, the colourful, revealing photographs of the world’s inhabitants and spaces are a visual spectacle.

Love him or hate him, this book will give you more than enough to talk about (or argue about) on the environmental challenges of our time.

Leave a comment if you have a copy or plan to get one…

By: Prabhjit Banga

“I wish I wasn’t busy all the time”

 “Life is so hectic!”

“I’d really like to come, but I just don’t have the time.”

“If only I had some free time…”

Do these comments sound familiar? Imagine how it would feel to be able to give or receive the gift of time. It sounds like a hard task, but when you’re old and you reflect back on your life, what will you remember most, the stuff you received as gifts, or the time you spent with the people you care about?

Last year around the holidays my grandpa suffered a heart attack. All I could think was how little time I had been spending with him. When I went to go see him the first thing he said to me was “So you’re too busy for everyone these days.” Those words really hit home with me. 

My grandpa made me realize life really is short and how important it is to make time for the people you love. Because what we cherish and remember even more than materialistic things are meaningful, memorable experiences spent with people we care about. Now, I spend time with him at least once a week.

So in preparation for the holidays, consider giving the gift of an experience rather than a thing. This can be anything from:

- making a home-cooked meal
- special dinner out
- movie passes
- an outdoor adventure or day trip around the city
- coupon book filled with redeemable vouchers reading “Good for 3 hours of time spent with me” or “Good for one whole-house cleaning” (I personally would love to receive this last one) 

Be creative and think about what you are able to offer and what the person would appreciate most.

Happy Holidays to you and your family!

 
Source: http://www.buynothing.biz/blog/index.php?itemid=37 

There’s only one way to avoid the collapse of this human experiment of ours on Planet Earth: we have to consume less. (Adbusters)

And so another shopping season is upon us. With a major gift-giving holiday around the corner and retailers fighting to grab the public’s attention with their door-crasher deals, it’s a good time to pause and say, ‘That’s enough.”

Enter Buy Nothing Day, a day of action and resistance against commercial culture, fueled by fed-up people who are suggesting an alternative to mindless shopping sprees. In North America this year, the day falls on November 27.

BND is commonly observed by refraining from making consumer purchases for 24 hours and/or joining a group demonstration to spread the message. But the overall purpose of the day is to make people think about their daily consumer habits and promote being a responsible consumer all year round.

“On one side we constantly hear that the only way we can climb out of the current economic downturn is to buy our way out,” says Keith Treffry, Director of Communications at Earth Day Canada. “On the other hand, it is this very act of consuming our way to prosperity that is creating such an environmental mess in the first place.”

Events
If you want to join a Buy Nothing Day event, check out Adbusters’ event listings. Can’t find one in your city? Do a web search, check Facebook or start your own!

I’m a student of economy for international cooperation. I’m working on my thesis about corporate greenwashing and I would like to ask you a couple of things:

1- which are the 10 best greenwashers of 2009?
2- where can I get more info about greenwashing?

Thanks for your question Sara. In short, “greenwashing” is the dubious practice of marketing your product, service, or company as environmental when it is not.

Earth Day Canada brought needed attention to the issue of greenwashing in a press release last April. Here are Earth Day Canada’s Red Flags of Greenwashing:

1. No proof claims – A food producer claims their products are organic, but provides no third party accreditation as proof.
2. Vague claims – A lighter manufacturer produces an ‘eco-lighter’ and positions the product as being ‘environmentally friendly’, but provides no further explanation or product information.
3. Irrelevant claims – A new aerosol product claims to be CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) free, a chemical banned over 30 years ago as it depletes the ozone.
4. Confusing claims – A paper towel producer modifies their product to become more ‘eco-friendly’, but only change how the product is presented, not the manufacturing process or the materials used to develop the product.
5. The cloaking effect – A coffee house brands their disposable and recyclable coffee cup as the ‘eco-cup’, masking an environmentally unfriendly product with a green name.

Good luck putting your thesis together, Sara. Let us know how it goes :]

For additional resources I recommend consulting:

TerraChoice - Ecologo Program
In Canada, this is the go to resource to learn more about greenwashing.

Greenwashing Index
This American-based website hosts samples of advertising campaigns of some of the worst offenders.

October 24th, 2009 is a very important day — 350.org has organized an international day of climate action, to show the world’s leaders that there is a global movement for them to come to an agreement on a carbon emissions treaty at the UN Climate talks in Copenhagen in December.

The focus is on the number 350–as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number–it’s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet.

To participate, organize an action or look for one  in your community on October 24. There are no limits here–imagine bike rides, rallies, concerts, hikes, festivals, tree-plantings, protests, and more. Your action will be linked up with thousands of others around the globe.

If we can pull it off, we’ll send a powerful message on October 24: the world needs the climate solutions that science and justice demand.

Check out 350.org for more information.

Also called the festival of lights, Diwali is one of the most popular festivals in the South East Asian culture.  The occasion celebrates the victory of good over evil. Lamps and candles are lit to chase away the darkness of ignorance and welcome the bright light of enlightenment. This is a time of reflection, thanks and renewal. This Diwali take the time to reflect on the things you can do to make your Diwali celebration an eco-friendly one.  

Diwali Cleaning
In preparation for Diwali every year my family and I clean our home from top to bottom. The cleaning is done to harmonize the space around us to derive positive energy. Any unwanted clothes and household items are donated to our local shelter. Cleaning up, not only means cleaning your home, but also cleaning our environment, so pick up some litter from the ground!

Avoid the Fireworks
As a kid lighting firecrackers was the highlight of Diwali. The brighter the sparkles were and the louder the noise they made, the more excited I got. But I soon came to realize that the temporary joy of watching firecrackers was replaced with a stinky toxic smell. Toxic substances used in the firecrackers aren’t very good for us or the environment. Celebrate by lighting candles and diyas (small clay pots filled with oil in which a wick is lit) and avoid the fireworks.

A Candle-Light Diwali
Being the Festival of Lights, this is a good time to remind ourselves of all the energy and resources it takes to light up our homes and businesses. On Diwail, many people leave all the lights on in their home. Please avoid this. I prefer the look of diyas and candles, instead of electric illumination, not only do they look nicer, but it also cuts down energy consumption. If you’re putting up outdoor lights, use LED lights; they come in bright colors and use 80% less energy than traditional lights.   

Also, keep in mind that the deeper meaning of Diwali is not about lighting up our homes, it’s about dispelling darkness in our lives and ushering in positive feelings and energy.

Buy Less
Since Diwali is also a celebration of abundance and wealth, many people believe that it is a good time to buy. Often, people go out and buy new items even when they don’t need them. Cut down your shopping list and avoid purchasing unnecessary things this Diwali. Instead of buying gifts, make them! Bake some goodies, paint a picture or take one of your mom’s old sarees and drape it over a canvas to make a great piece of art (see picture below).

 Send Diwali E-cards to your friends and family. Check out http://www.indiaexpress.com/cards/Holidays/Diwali/  

This Diwali take the time to reflect on the things that you can do to live responsibly and reduce your impact on the environment. A little thought and care can make a huge difference.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Diwali! 

By: Prabhjit