My Green Switch Was Flicked On
I was watching Live Earth, I said, Self, what can you do for the environment? So I created this blog. I do a fair bit but I'm running out of ideas. I'm hoping people post comments or suggestions. Let's all do a couple of things to make the EARTH better.
Things I've done to help the environment:1 Replaced 21 light bulbs with CFL's.
2 Put a few lights on motion detectors.
3 Use a real coffee mug and silverware at my desk.
4 Only buy fair trade and/or organic coffee.
5 Only buy organic produce and meat.
6 On the 100 mile diet. (90% Compliant)
7. Use my own grocery bag.
8. Try to buy products with less packaging.
9. Switched to paperless banking/bill payment.
10 Don't use air conditioning.
11. Take public transit.
12. Unplug instant on stuff, except for VCR and alarm clock.
13. Buy only sustainable power from Bullfrog.
14. Switched to Ice Melter instead of salt.
15. Offset the rest of my emmisions with a carbon credit.
Green things I still need to do:1 Get rid of my extra beer fridge. (I don't know about this because I brew my own and it need's to be refrigerated.)
2. Quit smoking. (OK, so I'm working on this now)
3. Buy a hybrid. (So, I couldn't buy a hybrid this time cause I had to get a work truck but, I'll limit my driving and will buy a hybrid for personal use at a later date)
Please Note: I am not a writer. Most of these articles are shared from other sources. Please use the links provided to get the whole article from the source site. Please support these sites too! We all have a role to play.
Where I'm At Now
I've decided that organic may not be the way to go. What's the sense of shipping an organic product 3,000 miles if I can find a locally produced item? OK, so it may not be organic but I guess it's a balance between chemicals to grow or chemicals to ship. I've actually found local chicken, beef, pork, lamb and goat, all naturally raised, antibiotic free and free range where applicable. I've managed to find local potatoes, yams, carrots, onions and garlic all winter. I also have a local hydroponic lettuce grower and besides lettuce he grows cucumber, bell peppers and tomatoes.
I've switched to Bullfrog Power. Bullfrog uses only environmentally sustaining power sources like wind as well as low-impact hydro-electric.
I've also discovered Guerrilla Gardening. Take over an abandoned patch and make it grow. Stay tuned.
Well this year, I've decided to post more about what I'm doing. I'll still have cool products once in a while, especially if I've tried or switched to them.
Ongoing climate change means that summer Arctic sea ice could be halved, runoff in the South Saskatchewan River basin reduced and the cost of shipping through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway could rise due to lower water levels, according to a compilation of research published Tuesday.
Billed as the first comprehensive illustration of expected climate impacts in Canada, the report is a joint project of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), which publishes Canadian Geographic and Géographica magazines.
More here,
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/101005/canada/technology_science_round_table_canadian_geographic_climate_change
With its vast supply of forest resources and thick farming belts, Canada is well positioned to take advantage of a bio-based economy. In the face of rising oil prices and concerns over climate change, switching from conventional to renewable resources should be an open-and-shut case. But Canada is also rich in fossil fuels - the Alberta tar sands boom is bringing wealth to the West - and as a result, the country has failed miserably to meet its Kyoto pledge to reduce GHG emissions. Unlike EU counterparts, says Douglas Bradley, Canada still lacks a national plan for sustainable development and renewable energy production. Read more here,
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reworld/story?id=53474
BEAMSVILLE, Ont. — Food products labelled "made in Canada" will no longer be allowed to use a substantial amount of foreign ingredients, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday as he announced new guidelines that consumer advocates hailed as a "big step in the right direction." Read more here,
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1057370.html
It appears the article has moved so this is the recap,
CORNWALL, Ont. -- The Conservative government has fleshed out food labelling guidelines unveiled earlier this year by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced in Cornwall, Ont., that the new rules come into effect on Jan. 1, 2009, and apply to all foods produced from that day forward.
Under the new rules, foods labelled as a Canadian product must contain "all or virtually all contents" that are from Canada.
It's currently legal to call a product "made in Canada" if 51 per cent of the production costs were incurred here and the final transformation of product was in Canada.
The government says 90 per cent of the 1,500 Canadians who filled out an online survey after Harper's announcement in May agreed with the new guidelines.
The new guidelines come from the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan announced by Harper in December.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canada is moving to get rid of products with a chemical common in plastic baby bottles, the United States is expressing concern over its safety and some retailers are planning to stop selling these items.
But whether the chemical bisphenol A poses genuine health risks in people remains a matter of debate, with industry groups defending its safety and environmental activists saying studies involving animals show otherwise. More here,
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080418/wl_canada_nm/canada_plastic_bottles_controversy_col_1
Vancouver, BC [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
Good weather and an appetite for sustainability appear to be the main factors driving the formation of a world-class "clean energy cluster" in the Pacific Northwest. Skilled workers with strong creative talent are attracted to the area, and it's no coincidence that a range of renewable energy firms are setting up shop here as a result. More,
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=51926
I've Started The 100 Mile Diet
Here is a sample market run. Not all of this is available during the winter
All Produce was Local & Organic, Lettuce - Romaine, Red Leaf & Green Leaf
Celery, Peppers - Green, Orange, Red & PURPLE, Radish, Green Onion, Cucumber
(That's my weekly salad stuff)
Spinach, Swiss Chard, Peas, Corn, White and Sweet Potatoes
Onions, Apples, Pears
Lots more available but I didn't buy.
Dairy, All Local & Organic (Naturally Raised or Free Range)Milk (In Glass Bottles), Cheese, Butter, Eggs, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese,
Sour Cream & others available but I didn't buy.
Bread and Rolls, Organic but not all grains local. I've been baking my own too, using local if possible.
And for the Meat Eaters, All Local & Naturally Raised
Chicken - Whole, Boneless & Skinless Cuts (Other Cuts Available)
Lamb Chops (Other Cuts Available)Pork Chops (Other Cuts Available)
Beef - Steak, Ground (Other Cuts Available)
There were other products such as Goat, Emu and others that I didn't buy.
Now, I know not everything is available to all but if you can replace half of your grocery list with local products you would be doing what you can as well as telling retailers you want local products.
I know I'll have a challenge in February. There won't be as much local produce available.
I've committed to starting a greenhouse garden in my basement and growing my salad.I'll let you know how that works out.
Barry
Update: June 2,2008
February produce was a challenge but I found lettuce, bell peppers, cucumber and tomatoes, all grown locally the hydroponic way. At least I had a small salad every day.
I don't have a basement greenhouse yet but I do have a backyard garden.
More later.
Update, August 18th 2008
Well the vegetable garden was a bust. I put in a 10' X 12' garden but I don't get enough sun in my yard. We have tomatoes and peppers in containers and they are doing much better. Looks like I need a new plan.
Update, September 12,2009
So gardening at my house is out. Too shady.
I switched to Bullfrog Power a year ago. My hydro comes from wind and non destructive hydro-electric.
I gave up driving to work a year ago as well.
With a friend of mine, we started Earth Hour By The Dozen.
It's Earth Hour but we have it on the 4th Saturday of every month.
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