These simple steps were sent to us by an friend, who found this information on a the EPIC Vancouver website. Check out Zerofootprint, a great link, for more information.
Did you know??
1. Leaving your computer on when it's not being used is like leaving a 100W light bulb on all day.In fact, idle computers contribute about 45 million tonnes of greenhouse emissions to the atmosphere. That's enough emissions to fill 810 billion birthday balloons.
2. Electronic equipment may look like it's off, but in reality TVs, VCRs and other household appliances are in "standby" mode, which keeps your electricity meter running and contributes to global warming. You could easily reduce your footprint by plugging your electronics into a power bar, and turning the power bar off when you leave your home.
3. Improper insulation causes your furnace to work harder than necessary. If you combined the heat leaks in an average Canadian home, you would leave a hole the size of a basketball! By plugging these leaks, you would save up to 25% on heating bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10,325,000 tonnes.
4. Just one tires under-flatted by two pounds per square inch results in a one percent in fuel consumption. Check your tire pressure. If every vehicle in Canada decreased it's fuel consumption by one percent, greenhouse emissions would drop by 1.45 million tonnes (that's 620 millions dollars each year).
5. The fruits and vegetables in your supermarket may have travelled up to 5,000kn to reach you. Buying locally lessens the fuel required to transport this food and reduces the carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 272 grams of carbon dioxide per fruit or vegetable.
You could easily limit your environmental impact without diminishing your quality of life!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Guido and Mary: Made in Canada
I have some very exciting news! As we've been becoming more aware of the clothing we buy and where it's being made, it's posed a question "where can we find clothing that's authentically made in Canada?" Well, I did some research on a Montreal company called Guido and Mary, who mostly manufactures jeans. They've been around for a while so I wanted to know if their clothing was still manufactured in Canada. This was their response:
In response to your question, yes we still manufacture all of our denim in Canada because it allows us to have more control over the quality of our jeans. All our styles have handcrafted detail which is all done by hand giving each jean an individual touch.
We also have a group on Facebook called Guido and Mary Premium Denim Co. where we will list info about upcoming styles, sales, and fun stuff in general. You can also visit us at www.guidoandmary.com!
Here's is a list of the stores in the Vancouver area where you can find their jeans.
CHIC 2851 Granville Street Vancouver, BC,V6H 3J4 Canada
(604) 737-1760
FINE 1014 Mainland St. Vancouver, BC,V6B 2T4 Canada
(604) 669-8325
SPANK 6070 Granville Street Vancouver, BC,V6M3E1 Canada
(604) 677-2649
You can find the link for Guido and Mary below under A Little Education on Great Products
In response to your question, yes we still manufacture all of our denim in Canada because it allows us to have more control over the quality of our jeans. All our styles have handcrafted detail which is all done by hand giving each jean an individual touch.
We also have a group on Facebook called Guido and Mary Premium Denim Co. where we will list info about upcoming styles, sales, and fun stuff in general. You can also visit us at www.guidoandmary.com!
Here's is a list of the stores in the Vancouver area where you can find their jeans.
CHIC 2851 Granville Street Vancouver, BC,V6H 3J4 Canada
(604) 737-1760
FINE 1014 Mainland St. Vancouver, BC,V6B 2T4 Canada
(604) 669-8325
SPANK 6070 Granville Street Vancouver, BC,V6M3E1 Canada
(604) 677-2649
You can find the link for Guido and Mary below under A Little Education on Great Products
Friday, March 23, 2007
Guide to Less Toxic Products
Link sent by Jolee - West Coast Challenger
Check out this website Guide to Less Toxic Products, under the heading A Little Education on Great Products.
This website offers information on personal care, household cleaners and offers consumer advise. This link should be added to everyones desk top. I am going to print out a list of the ingredients to stay away from and keep it with me, so when I'm shopping, I can look to it as a cheat sheet.
Check out this website Guide to Less Toxic Products, under the heading A Little Education on Great Products.
This website offers information on personal care, household cleaners and offers consumer advise. This link should be added to everyones desk top. I am going to print out a list of the ingredients to stay away from and keep it with me, so when I'm shopping, I can look to it as a cheat sheet.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Awareness of Ourselves
Message from Natalie - West Coast Challenger
More than anything, this month's challenge has sparked an awareness for me about the way we live, the way we make choices and the way we rationalize turning a blind eye to certain things, such as where the things we live on come from. But how can we be expected to be aware of the lives of others, if we are not even aware of OURSELVES? We live in a society that does not promote self-awareness, social responsibility, but instead promotes what seems to be a laziness of the mind, body and intellect in order for money to be made.
And the root of our nature to remain in the dark in general are fear and money, the two things that drive our society.
Why does it not send up huge red flags when we see that a garment is made in China, Indonesia, or some other exploited country? Do we believe what the manufacturers believe; that the population of a perhaps non-developed country is only worth the few cents the individuals are paid in order for a HUGE North American company to make a 5000% profit?
Is this what we believe?
Rationally, NO. No one I know believes this, everyone I know is frustrated to a certain degree by this, but how deep does the awareness really go if we don't make different choices as a consumer?
These are the questions I am asking, have my choices supported what I truly believe in or is that just what I'd like to believe?
And it all seems so symptomatic of our society; a society in which our driving WANTS, and "NEEDS" and fears cloud us everyday with rationalizations that allow us to be ok with the fact that a person living in poverty and being exploited made my shirt, my jeans, my jacket...
It really does start with ourselves, the awareness we need to change anything in the world has to start with growing that awareness in ourselves. And that is not easy.
More than anything, this month's challenge has sparked an awareness for me about the way we live, the way we make choices and the way we rationalize turning a blind eye to certain things, such as where the things we live on come from. But how can we be expected to be aware of the lives of others, if we are not even aware of OURSELVES? We live in a society that does not promote self-awareness, social responsibility, but instead promotes what seems to be a laziness of the mind, body and intellect in order for money to be made.
And the root of our nature to remain in the dark in general are fear and money, the two things that drive our society.
Why does it not send up huge red flags when we see that a garment is made in China, Indonesia, or some other exploited country? Do we believe what the manufacturers believe; that the population of a perhaps non-developed country is only worth the few cents the individuals are paid in order for a HUGE North American company to make a 5000% profit?
Is this what we believe?
Rationally, NO. No one I know believes this, everyone I know is frustrated to a certain degree by this, but how deep does the awareness really go if we don't make different choices as a consumer?
These are the questions I am asking, have my choices supported what I truly believe in or is that just what I'd like to believe?
And it all seems so symptomatic of our society; a society in which our driving WANTS, and "NEEDS" and fears cloud us everyday with rationalizations that allow us to be ok with the fact that a person living in poverty and being exploited made my shirt, my jeans, my jacket...
It really does start with ourselves, the awareness we need to change anything in the world has to start with growing that awareness in ourselves. And that is not easy.
To Support and Not Exploit
"To support the artisans and instead of exploiting them." This is what a woman said to us who volunteers at a Ten Thousand Villages retail store. She was talking about the Fair Trade of artisans all over the world.
It amazes me, that almost every item I pick up is made somewhere other than Canada. I actually can't believe it. I want to buy goods that are locally made, but as a consumer, I'm stuck in a corner with no choice but to exploit people working for nothing in other countries who continue to live in poverty. And for what? To benefit the aesthetic look of my home, my own personal vanity, my personal wants, not my personal needs. As a young consumer trying to pay the bills and working hard to do so, the affordable way to get by, is to buy cheap. But cheap doesn't equal good. Well, it's good on the bank account. Shopping at locally owned businesses who offer fair deals on imported goods to us Canadians, doesn't mean that the goods are fair traded.
So what does this mean for people who want to make a difference, both socially and for the environment? We need to ask questions. It seems as though we don't, but we need to ask more questions about the items we purchase. If we can't purchase items made in our home country, we should be supporting people who make items in other countries, knowing that they are in fact being treated fairly.
Check out Ten Thousand Villages link below for more information on fair trade and what they do as a non-profit program of Mennonite Central Committee. Also check out the link for International Fair Trade Association.
Let's try not to live like one life is worth more than another.
It amazes me, that almost every item I pick up is made somewhere other than Canada. I actually can't believe it. I want to buy goods that are locally made, but as a consumer, I'm stuck in a corner with no choice but to exploit people working for nothing in other countries who continue to live in poverty. And for what? To benefit the aesthetic look of my home, my own personal vanity, my personal wants, not my personal needs. As a young consumer trying to pay the bills and working hard to do so, the affordable way to get by, is to buy cheap. But cheap doesn't equal good. Well, it's good on the bank account. Shopping at locally owned businesses who offer fair deals on imported goods to us Canadians, doesn't mean that the goods are fair traded.
So what does this mean for people who want to make a difference, both socially and for the environment? We need to ask questions. It seems as though we don't, but we need to ask more questions about the items we purchase. If we can't purchase items made in our home country, we should be supporting people who make items in other countries, knowing that they are in fact being treated fairly.
Check out Ten Thousand Villages link below for more information on fair trade and what they do as a non-profit program of Mennonite Central Committee. Also check out the link for International Fair Trade Association.
Let's try not to live like one life is worth more than another.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
East Coast Connections
Message from Leigh - East Coast Challenger
Buying locally in the East:
There are a couple of great farmer's markets in Toronto which I'll try and find out more about. The Big Carrot on the Danforth and Broadview is an excellent place for organic and local food in Toronto, www.thebigcarrot.com {find link at bottom} and of course Whole Foods in Oakville. Also for Oakvillians, The Organic Garage offers many of the same items at a muc lower price. It's on Kerr Street across from Canadian Tire where Alternatives used to be.
Buying locally in the East:
There are a couple of great farmer's markets in Toronto which I'll try and find out more about. The Big Carrot on the Danforth and Broadview is an excellent place for organic and local food in Toronto, www.thebigcarrot.com {find link at bottom} and of course Whole Foods in Oakville. Also for Oakvillians, The Organic Garage offers many of the same items at a muc lower price. It's on Kerr Street across from Canadian Tire where Alternatives used to be.
Support Our First Street Sale
Consumerism Challenge and Art with a Cause present their first
STREET SALE
Selling
- nearly new items
- jewellery
- crafts
- photography
- and more...!
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to various charities!
Where? Corner of Tupper and 23rd avenue (between Oak and Cambie)
When? Saturday, March 31st 2007 @ 10am-3pm
We hope to see you there!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Knowledge about Fair Trade...
Message from Richelle - West Coast Challenger
If you are interested in learning more about fair trade coffee that there is a new documentary out called Black Gold- I think even places like Blockbuster have it. It is great and will turn anyone off of Starbucks forever!!!
If you are interested in learning more about fair trade coffee that there is a new documentary out called Black Gold- I think even places like Blockbuster have it. It is great and will turn anyone off of Starbucks forever!!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Rating Our Seafood
Message sent by Leigh - East Coast Challenger
Leigh is a Greenpeace volunteer and this is the newsletter they sent her.
"We need your help with our upcoming campaign to rid supermarkets of endangered and destructively fished seafood. Our first step is to find out just how 'bad' the seafood on sale in Canada's supermarkets is, and which stores are the worst offenders. So we're asking environmentally conscious consumers like you to investigate the seafood in your local supermarket and report back to us.
Our oceans are in a critical state. Over 75% of commercial fish stocks are either fully exploited or overexploited. Up to 90% of stocks of large predatory fish have been lost, including tuna, swordfish, cod and halibut. Recent scientific debate has even indicated that the world might 'run out of seafood' by 2048.
These drastic numbers show that governments and scientists have failed when it comes to the sustainable management of the world's fish stocks. This is why Greenpeace has decided to call on the next player in the product chain - supermarkets - to take responsibility and introduce sustainable seafood purchasing policies.
Taking part in the survey is simple! Just download our Supermarket Seafood Survey form [find the form attached under the heading Use Your Voice]... and take it with you the next time you visit a supermarket. Spend a few minutes looking at the fresh, frozen and canned seafood for sale and place a tick beside all of the species you find in the store. Please include branded products (eg Highliner, Bluewater etc) in your survey.
The form lists the 'worst' seafood species consumed in North America. It is an exhaustive list containing some species we'd be surprised to see in your local store - but we really don't know exactly what horrors are lurking out there. You will also find, because of Canada's weak food labelling laws, that the exact species of fish is often not listed on the package. To compensate for these labelling shortfalls we have included some 'generic' species listings, such as tuna (unspecified).
Feel free to visit as many supermarkets in your area as you like, the more data we receive the better! Simply email or post your results to toni.vernelli@yto.greenpeace.org by March 30th."
Leigh is a Greenpeace volunteer and this is the newsletter they sent her.
"We need your help with our upcoming campaign to rid supermarkets of endangered and destructively fished seafood. Our first step is to find out just how 'bad' the seafood on sale in Canada's supermarkets is, and which stores are the worst offenders. So we're asking environmentally conscious consumers like you to investigate the seafood in your local supermarket and report back to us.
Our oceans are in a critical state. Over 75% of commercial fish stocks are either fully exploited or overexploited. Up to 90% of stocks of large predatory fish have been lost, including tuna, swordfish, cod and halibut. Recent scientific debate has even indicated that the world might 'run out of seafood' by 2048.
These drastic numbers show that governments and scientists have failed when it comes to the sustainable management of the world's fish stocks. This is why Greenpeace has decided to call on the next player in the product chain - supermarkets - to take responsibility and introduce sustainable seafood purchasing policies.
Taking part in the survey is simple! Just download our Supermarket Seafood Survey form [find the form attached under the heading Use Your Voice]... and take it with you the next time you visit a supermarket. Spend a few minutes looking at the fresh, frozen and canned seafood for sale and place a tick beside all of the species you find in the store. Please include branded products (eg Highliner, Bluewater etc) in your survey.
The form lists the 'worst' seafood species consumed in North America. It is an exhaustive list containing some species we'd be surprised to see in your local store - but we really don't know exactly what horrors are lurking out there. You will also find, because of Canada's weak food labelling laws, that the exact species of fish is often not listed on the package. To compensate for these labelling shortfalls we have included some 'generic' species listings, such as tuna (unspecified).
Feel free to visit as many supermarkets in your area as you like, the more data we receive the better! Simply email or post your results to toni.vernelli@yto.greenpeace.org by March 30th."
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Local Produce
I added two links under A Little Education on Great Products.
The first one is FarmFolk/CityFolk Society. This website tells you when local produce is in season. It gives you a list of vegetables and fruits with the months it's available beside it. At the homepage, click on 'Knowledge Pantry' and then go to 'What's in Season and when?' This website also gives lots of great tips on why it's good to eat locally, where to buy local goodies and what local restaurants use local produce.
The second link is giving dates and times for when local farmers markets are going to be in the Vancouver area. The next local farmers market is April 7th.
The first one is FarmFolk/CityFolk Society. This website tells you when local produce is in season. It gives you a list of vegetables and fruits with the months it's available beside it. At the homepage, click on 'Knowledge Pantry' and then go to 'What's in Season and when?' This website also gives lots of great tips on why it's good to eat locally, where to buy local goodies and what local restaurants use local produce.
The second link is giving dates and times for when local farmers markets are going to be in the Vancouver area. The next local farmers market is April 7th.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Designer Clothes
I was truly amazed today when we out shopping. We were on the search for a great pair of jeans. We looked at so many stores, and on our search found lots and lots of jeans... really expensive jeans. Every pair of jeans I picked up, I looked for the label; something I have not done before. The most expensive pairs of jeans were made in countries like Mexico, China, Sri Lanka and so on. Although I'm truly not educated on the labour laws and working conditions in these countries, neither one of us could understand why these clothes were priced at $260, $240 and $150 when some of these countries are considered third world. Even jeans we thought were made by a Canadian company were made in China. The scary thing is that our consuming society will pay $260 for one piece of clothing... a piece of clothing made in a third world country. Again, I've just started to educate myself, but one thing I know for sure is that that $260 for a piece of designer clothing is not going to the people who made it - it's going to the designers who live in a first world country.
Check out and read more on the International Labour Organization website. It's linked under the heading Knowledge is Power.
I also added a mini movie on Child Labour under the same heading. It is a MUST SEE!
Check out and read more on the International Labour Organization website. It's linked under the heading Knowledge is Power.
I also added a mini movie on Child Labour under the same heading. It is a MUST SEE!
Question...
Message from Natalie - West Coast Challenger:
What did you do about coffee? We had some great coffee from Maple Ridge(but I think it's only packaged there, not sure).
What did you do about coffee? We had some great coffee from Maple Ridge(but I think it's only packaged there, not sure).
Awareness of the Items We Buy
Message from Leigh - East Coast Challenger:
NEVER buy Kimberly Clark products (kleenex tissue, huggies, I forget their toilet paper). They refuse to stop clearcutting Canadian and other rainforests. People can appeal human resources at any buildings they work at that use Kimberly Clark. Unfortunately a lot do.
Copy and paste this link to read more about this issue:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/forests/north-america/kleenex-and-kimberly-clark
Look for brands that sell 100% recycled paper; like paper towels and toilet tissue (also non-chlorine options, ie. brown paper towels which I use, just as good). Cascades is an great choice - read about them under the heading A Little Education on Great Products.
NEVER buy Kimberly Clark products (kleenex tissue, huggies, I forget their toilet paper). They refuse to stop clearcutting Canadian and other rainforests. People can appeal human resources at any buildings they work at that use Kimberly Clark. Unfortunately a lot do.
Copy and paste this link to read more about this issue:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/forests/north-america/kleenex-and-kimberly-clark
Look for brands that sell 100% recycled paper; like paper towels and toilet tissue (also non-chlorine options, ie. brown paper towels which I use, just as good). Cascades is an great choice - read about them under the heading A Little Education on Great Products.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Our Challenge for March
This month we challenge ourselves and you to only BUY LOCALLY and SUPPORT SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
Here are some guidelines:
1. Buy goods and produce that are produced locally (in your city, province or country).
2. Support small local businesses instead of supporting large corporations.
3. Support local artists and designers in your community.
4. Support locally owned restaurants and stores instead of "Big Name Chains"
By buying locally and supporting local businesses you are helping the environment as well as supporting your local economy. Buying locally helps our environment by not contributing to the large amounts of gasoline that it takes to import products. The importing of goods affects our environment negatively and leaves everlasting damage.
Local Businesses:
*Que Pasa
*Quejos (on Main Street)
*Granville Island and local neighborhood markets
*Support locally run coffee shops like Bean Around the World not chains
*Support locally owned restaurants
Now, more than ever, is the time to start making these changes in our daily lives. Mother nature has had enough with our selfish ways. We need to step up for the sake of our children and our future.
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