Post by Prabhjit Banga

Did you know that the average North American woman throws away 10,000 disposable menstrual products in their lifetime? That’s a whole lot of waste, but I can believe it.

During a shoreline cleanup event I attended, over half of the waste we collected ended up being tampon applicators and pads! Even when in landfills, many of these substances can leach into groundwater, streams and lakes, posing environmental health concerns.

Most tampons and pads contain a whole lot of things that do the body and the environment no good. Surfactants, plastics, adhesives, additives, and dioxin – a known carcinogen and by-product of the bleaching process.

If you are looking for more environmentally-friendly menstrual products or have concerns about the chemicals and synthetic materials used to make regular pads and tampons, you should know that there are many proven eco-friendly alternatives on the market.

Cloth Pads

Most reusable cloth menstrual pads are made from natural fibers such as cotton making them cool, breathable and comfortable to wear. By using organic cotton, you can reduce your cumulative exposure to toxic chemicals by ditching your disposable pads. Also, cloth pads cost a fraction of what it takes to keep buying disposable pads every month.

Sponges

Sea sponges are another alternative to tampons –they absorb and expand but require care to be reused again. Sea sponges come from the ocean floor and contain no synthetic materials – just try to find ones that have been sustainably harvested like sponges made by Sea Pearls. One sea sponge will last for about six months.

Cups

Another great reusable product is a menstrual cup. A small cup is worn internally to capture the flow. Contents are contained within the cup until it is removed, and can then be emptied. Some reputable brands include DivaCup, The Keeper, or the Mooncup.

Have fun finding new approaches to your monthly visit from Aunt Flo!

Post by Prabhjit Banga

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!

 Post by Prabhjit Banga

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! 

Source: the dailygreen.com

It’s hard to believe that summer time is coming to an end and “back-to-school” is here. Whether you’re helping your children get ready for school or going to college/university yourself, this year plan ahead and go back to school in eco-style.

Reuse supplies from previous years
Before you hit the store, do an inventory of any school stuff from previous years. Most supplies, such as sturdy backpacks, lunch kits, pencils can last more than year, so you don’t need to buy them every year. If you do have to buy, look for items that are sturdy, long-lasting and contain recycled materials (see below for more tips).

Moving on?
If you’re moving away for college/uni, ask your family or friends for unused furniture or household items. If you do have to buy, check out your local thrift store or on sites like Craig’s list and Kijiji…it’s cheaper than buying new and you’ll be recycling!

Litter-less Lunches
When preparing your kid’s lunches, think litter-less! Not only does it save money, since you won’t always be purchasing brown bags, but it also reduces the amount of waste you’re producing! For older students, its easy to fall into the trap of always eating at the cafeteria, but if you bring your own healthy homemade lunches, not only will you save money but you’ll also avoid the freshman 15!

School Green Clubs

Last but not least, encourage your kids to join the school’s green club and if there isn’t one, help to start one! In elementary school I learned a lot about environmental issues through my school’s green club. Most colleges/unis also have environmental clubs… they’re a great way to take part in environmental causes as well as to network and meet people in the environmental field! I found my first environmental job through my uni’s green club.

Here are some more ideas for back-to- school prep:

- Buy a sturdy, comfortable backpack that you or your child can use year after year. Avoid backpacks made of nylon or new plastics, especially PVC (vinyl), and look instead for bags made from recycled materials or natural materials, such as hemp.

- Purchase recycled paper – then try to use both sides to reduce waste even further.

- Reuse last year’s pencil case. To make it look new, decorate it with fabric paint and create a new look.

- Buy beeswax or soy-based crayons, water-based paints, and water-based markers and glue, all of which are better for the environment than oil-based products.

- Buy in bulk and avoid individually prepackaged items.

- Healthy lunches and snacks are important for children and help with concentration and learning, so pack nutritious lunches with vegetables, fresh fruit, dairy, protein and water.

- Have your children walk or take the bus to school. If you do need to drive your kids to school, try to start a carpooling initiative with other neighborhood parents and kids.

- Encourage a non-idling policy for your school, so school busses and parents picking up their kids are not idling in front of the school.

By: Prabhjit

Took this photo yesterday on Queen Street near Spadina...

Day 3 of the garbage strike in Toronto and waste has already begun to pile up. While walking around the city, you can’t miss the overflowing garbage bins, the illegal dumping in parks, and the horrendous stench!

Torontonians will once again have to come face-to-face with the garbage they created. It’s so easy not to think about the waste we produce, because it gets taken away by the trucks, out of sight and out of mind. Maybe it takes a strike to realize that garbage sitting in landfills is just as uncool as garbage piling up on busy streets…

Instead of seeing it as an inconvenience, I see the strike as an opportunity to reflect and maybe change some bad habits. We often just buy, and buy, and buy with disregard for how much we throw out. The strike is an opportunity to make a permanent impact – for the good. Try to avoid buying anything with excessive packaging and just buy less. If we try to be mindful of these things now (and for as long as the strike lasts), we may be able to form some healthy, sustainable habits.

While I’m not saying I want to see a long strike, necessity is the driver of invention. This strike may just inspire more people to think about their garbage and take some small steps towards reducing it on a long term basis.

Tips for getting through a city workers’ strike (like the one going on in Toronto):

- Produce less garbage

- Take a reusable mug or bag when purchasing drinks or groceries.

- Compost in your backyard (http://www.toronto.ca/compost/approach.htm)

- Leave wasteful and bulky packaging at the store if you can.

- Cook fresh food, rather than packaged food

- Return your LBCO and Beer Store bottles and containers to the store and get back the deposit.

- Pack a waste-free lunch with reusable containers and a lunch bag.

- Make sure you rinse all your food packaging before putting it in the recycling bin or garbage bag to prevent smell.

- Make sure you flatten or break down recyclables or garbage before you throw it away to save space.

- Throw away less organic waste by wasting less food. Buy only what you need for short periods of time and freeze leftovers if they will otherwise go bad.

- Think about things before you toss them into the garbage.

- Store your garbage in your backyard shed/garage/or basement – whatever is safest for your situation. Keep pests and creatures away by adding generous amounts of baking soda into the bag/bin to keep odors at bay.

Remember, please do not litter!

posted by Prabhjit Banga, EcoAction Teams program researcher

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Check it out!

A 15 foot tall replica of the CN Tower made from discarded coffee cups.

Who’s responsible for this educational beacon of waste?

2nd Nature, A campus environmental group at the University of Toronto, created both a CN tower and a Rogers Centre with over 2000 cups that they handpicked out of trash cans and washed themselves.

The structures were displayed next to signs that read “USE A MUG” and “Don’t be fooled. These cups are not recyclable.”

Thanks Saadia for sharing this with us! Hope the kids at school make bringing their own mugs ’second nature’…

Following on the heels of the  Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ announcement to its members to take action against bottled water, the University of Winnipeg has become the first university campus in Canada to ban the selling of bottled water.

“While plastic bottles are not environmentally sustainable, they also undermine the quality of public water,” said Vinay Iyer, University of Winnipeg Students’ Association President (pictured in red). “We encourage our students to drink safe and free public drinking water as an alternative to expensive bottled water.”

Located in downtown Winnipeg, UWinnipeg is a progressive, liberal arts-minded university with a history of supporting ecological and social activism. [It also happens to be the ecoblogist's alma matter...]

During student elections held last month, The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association held a referendum on campus asking students if they would support the elimination of plastic water bottles. Almost three quarters, or 74.8 per cent, of those who voted said, “Yes”.

Each year, approximately 38,400 plastic water bottles were being sold in the cafeterias and vending machines on campus. Now, the Students’ Association will partner with the University to provide all first year students with free reusable bottles in their orientation package.

The water-bottle ban builds on other important green initiatives including the campus-wide composting program introduced last August. Now, with its recycling program, UWinnipeg is diverting over 70% of materials that would otherwise be lost to landfills as waste.

Awards season is upon us and I have one special film for your consideration…

Fast forward a few hundred years into the future. What would life on Earth look like? Actually, there would be no life on our dear planet, or so goes the premise of Pixar/Walt Disney Picture’s inventive film WALL-E.

One lone robot roams the desolate Earth, compacting and stacking piles of trash left by wasteful humans and the mighty multi-national Buy ‘N Large corporation. Incredibly, the first 30 minutes of the film features no dialogue, as we follow WALL-E going about his daily routine in a wasteland.

Yes, WALL-E is a cautionary tale about mass consumption and greed, but it is also a story about following your heart and overcoming great adversity. (WALL-E may also be the best date movie of the year…)

The film makes environmental problems relevant and accessible to a wide audience in a way that serious enviro-documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth and The 11^th Hour could not. The charming leading robot speaks to the shy and hard-working soul who seeks companionship and a meaningful existence. WALL-E just wants to live in harmony with all living things in the universe.

The film just picked up a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature and has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Screenplay. The nod for screenplay hints at the Academy’s strong appreciation of the film, but the fact that it didn’t get shortlisted for Best Picture annoys me.

Since the Oscars instituted the Best Animated Feature category in 2001, no animated film has been nominated in the night’s biggest category. Even though the Academy claims a film can get the nod in both, many believe (including me) that psychology keeps voters from counting a film twice at the expense of another fine film.

What do you think?

Dear Good People of Ontario,

You’ve waited a long time for this. You’ve wanted a dependable resource that not only tells you what to do with old paint cans, antifreeze, batteries and other hazardous materials, but tells you the nearest place to take them.

Stewardship Ontario’s new online resource www.dowhatyoucan.ca can tell you where the nearest depot is, including more and more retailers like Home Depot, RONA and Jiffy Lube, not just municipal take-back sites.

Go to dowhatyoucan.ca and type in your postal code or municipality. You’ll find out which products you can return and where.

BUT…do note that this online resource is a work in progress. Currently in phase one, the program allows for returns of paints and coatings and their containers, solvents such as thinners for paint, lacquer and contact cement, paint strippers and degreasers, used oil filters, oil containers of 30 litres or less, single-use batteries, antifreeze, propane tanks, fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and pesticides.

The next stage (up by the summer) will include more items such as aerosol containers, fluorescent light bulbs and tubes, switches that contain mercury, thermostats, thermometers and barometers.

The last phase will address items like corrosive cleaners such as ammonia, and pool and photo chemicals.

Thanks to Keith McArthur for the tip and for reading ecoblogist!

I spent a few days with my grandparents over the holidays, and had a great time sharing stories, meals and laughs. My grandmother just turned 86 and my grandfather will be 90 in five months. They are both healthy and active, real examples of vitality and longevity.

Henry and Lydia celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary

I’ll admit there was a downside to the visit, and it involved an old uncomfortable sofa bed that really should have been retired thirty years ago. But laying awake at night on the springless springs got me thinking. How many things in this house had been salvaged, reused or passed along? The sofabed was acquired from a friend of theirs, my grandma still uses her first-ever hair dryer, and when there was a 1/4 cup of coffee left in the pot, my grandfather made me drink it because “we shouldn’t waste it.”

It would seem my grandparents have a conservation ethic. They do not replace their appliances when a new one comes along, nor do they approve of wasting any food. BUT, is it practicing conservation when your appliances are so outdated that they are actually consuming more energy to operate?

Some folks will never warm to the idea of spending money on brand new items even if it means conserving energy, water, or fuel. But next time you make a consumer choice, try asking yourself the following questions:

Do I need this new product?
What will I do with the one I am replacing? Can someone make use of it? Can it be recycled? Can it become something else, maybe a craft project?
Could I get the same product second-hand?
Will this new product help me save more electricity/power or water?
What are the environmental standards (and business ethics) of the company who produced the product?

Finally, if you are ever unsure about whether or not you should hop on a plane to visit your grandparents (or your grandchildren), always go with yes.