Benefits Of Buying Organic Cotton Fabrics
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 by MyYogaOnline
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Buying organic clothing is much more than a fashion statement. With the growing need to shift towards greater sustainability, choosing fabrics made from organic cotton and other fibers expands is an easy way to become more green-conscious.
You dry yourself with it after taking a shower, you lay your head against it when you go to sleep. The oil from its seeds flavors your favorite snacks and your probably wearing it right now. Cotton is one of the most widely traded and highly subsidized crops in the world. For the past 7,000 years, mankind has cultivated its fibers into clothing, and pressed the oil from its seeds for sustenance.
Compared to man-made materials like acrylic and polyester, cotton seems like a natural alternative. It is certainly versatile; breathable and cool in the summer, easily layered in the winter. Yet there’s a dark side of cotton that most consumers are unaware of: cotton is the most heavily sprayed crop in the world.
The commercial farming of cotton accounts for over 10% of pesticides and 22% of insecticides sprayed annually, though it is grown on just over 2% of the world’s arable land. In the United States, where cotton heavily is farmed, it’s commercial production accounts for over 25% of pesticides used annually. CLICK HERE to read more.
Thanks to Renu Yoga for sharing this article.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Yoga For the Planet
Thursday, September 25th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
This is a fantastic workshop - I really recommend it. Great info, looks at the issues we face from so many angles and and ties everything together so well. If you are in Vancouver, B.C. go check it out this weekend, definitely worth the time.
Yoga For Our Planet
A Risk We Should Not Be Taking
Saturday, September 27th, 1-4pm
At the Semperviva City Centre Yoga Studio
#100 - 1985 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C.
Fee: $12 - Net Proceeds go to the David Suzuki Foundation
What is really going on with our environment? What do the scientists say is happening versus what the media and our politicians say? Is there a real problem or not? Should we be doing something about it or not? What kind of a world are we creating for our children? If we should be doing something for their sake, what should we do? Ancient Yoga traditions have many teaching on how we can live in balance with our environment. These traditions can be applied to the environmental challenge facing us today.
Come hear Bernie Clark present the current scientific understanding of Global Climate Change and hear how our Yoga practice can help us make a big difference in what is happening to our planet. Learn the 3 Big Easy things you can do to make this difference! This presentation will be of interest to anyone, yogi or not, who is living on our planet, so bring a friend (or two… or more!)
Bernie Clark, in addition to being a Yoga teacher, is also an Executive Vice-President of Canada’s oldest and largest space company. He has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Waterloo and has decades of experience in the field of remote sensing, a discipline that monitors changes on the earth from air and space.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Go Back to School More Green
Thursday, July 31st, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
Mid summer and the “Back to School” ads are flourishing. As you make plans for yourself and family to gather up supplies for returning to school, consider giving yourself or your children a gift of going a little more green. Investing in an aluminum beverage bottle is a great way to stamp out waste production, to set an example of environmental care, and to save a little money.
We are moving into an age where every little bit counts. By using an aluminum bottle, you can greatly reduce your consumption of plastic containers (water, juice, and other beverages). You can purchase your beverages in bulk which typically provides you with costs savings. You also avoid chemical contamination that appears to be increasingly more common with plastic containers.
Note that these containers are not suitable for hot beverages as there is only one main layer of metal which means the exterior of the container will become very hot and dangerous to the touch.
There are many online and offline venues where you can purchase these aluminum containers. Shop around for some great deals, but keep in mind that the more local the manufacturer, the more eco-friendly your purchase is. Also research all the materials used in making this bottle - Is their any undesirable chemical lining? The lids are often plastic - Is this plastic of high quality and resistant to breaking down after being washed or left in the sun? If the price is too good to be true, then question the quality of the product.
A small investment of $15-20 can easily be returned through smart bulk shopping and the investment also comes back to you in the form of health and environmental dividends. Enjoy looking for your aluminum beverage container and build on the concept of smart sustainability.
Popularity: 28% [?]
EcoSearch-Go Green with Google
Friday, July 18th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
Adding a little more Karma and mindfulness to your life just got easier. The next time you need to search for something online, consider this new search engine resource. EcoSearch.org is the first search engine dedicated solely to environmental causes. Visitors to EcoSearch.org can search just as they would from Google.
The results come from Google, and Google shares a portion of their advertising revenue with EcoSearch. EcoSearch is a nonprofit corporation that donates 100% of its profits to environmental causes such as donating to charities that focus on the environment. They have already donated to charities including the National Resource Defense Council, Heal the Bay, Rainforest Alliance, TreePeople, Healthy Child Healthy World, and others. You can even suggest new charities to them. So, whenever you search, EcoSearch, and help to improve our environment.
Best Way to Use EcoSearch.org
Users should either set their homepage to EcoSearch.org, or add EcoSearch as their default search engine in their search bar by clicking the link on the EcoSearch homepage.
Popularity: 30% [?]
Make Your Banking More Green
Saturday, July 12th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
The change in lifestyle required to bring society to a more sustainable state for the environment often feels like an overwhelming task, but in fact, small adjustments and simple acts of awareness can collectively contribute to vast changes and improvements. Some of these small, easy changes can be applied to how we conduct banking tasks and transactions.
How often do people go to a bank machine, withdraw a few $20 bills, and then select to view their account balance? They view their paper statement and then toss it in the garbage. This action occurs daily by millions of people resulting in a massive waste of paper and energy.
The next time you are withdrawing or depositing a modest sum of funds with a bank machine. Select the option to NOT RECEIVE a paper statement. If you are curious to know your bank balance, simply wait until you have access to the internet and view your balance online.
It is wise to produce a paper receipt as a record if you are doing a transaction involving a large sum of funds. But be mindful when choosing to print a receipt - is it really necessary? Save the energy, save the paper. And if you print a receipt, hold onto it until you can insure that it will be disposed of properly in a recycling container.
Some other green banking tips:
*opt-in to internet banking services - you can often save money doing banking online…you will save gas and time doing banking from home or work…some banking institutions offer special account packages that have reduced fees for those who utilize online banking
*see if your bank offers statements via email notification versus by mail…cut down on unnecessary paper statements…if you need to produce paper statements for records, consider using the blank side of other unneeded statements and other materials you receive in the mail to print your records on - cut your paper usage dramatically and become creative in reusing paper
*request paperless statements from other billing sources like credit cards, utility agencies, cell phone providers, and department stores
*shred your paper statements well once they are no longer of use and then recycle properly
*consider who you do your banking with…support institutions that engage in genuine practices of sustainability and contribute to local and global causes
Consider the change of events required to produce and ship a single bank statement. Through a collective effort of everyone cutting down on unnecessary bank statements, basic changes to how you do your banking can generate profound benefits for the environment and the economy.
For more simple and easy tips for enhancing sustainability, click here.
Popularity: 36% [?]
Greening The Office
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
There are a number of ways to cut back on waste at the office. Here are a few ideas:
Save Energy and Water
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator for short trips to save electricity
• Turn off lights and computer equipment at the end of the day to save energy
• Turn off taps completely to avoid wasting water from dripping taps
Save Paper (saving paper saves energy too)
• Set your printer and photocopier to double-sided to save paper
• Edit documents on your computer to save paper
• Always recycle used paper
Produce Less Waste READ MORE….
Popularity: 42% [?]
Yardwork and Air Pollution
Sunday, May 4th, 2008 by Jason Jacobson
With the days getting longer, many homeowners thoughts turn to the work that waits in their yards. Many people associate air pollution with cars, airplanes, energy-producing facilities, and other large fuel consumers. The small engines used in lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, chain saws, and leaf blowers, however, represent a significant source of air pollutants.
Indeed, most small engines emit high levels of carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. In addition to CO, small engines emit ozone-forming hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Ground-level ozone impairs lung function and contributes to smog formation. According to the Government of Canada, a gasoline-powered lawn mower emits about 48 kilograms of greenhouse gases in one season.
There are ways to help clean the air while maintaining your yard. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Avoid Spills and Overfilling
· Spilling gas and overfilling the tank allow for gas to evaporate
· With evaporation, hydrocarbons are released into the atmosphere
Maintain Equipment
· Change oil and clean or replace air filters regularly
· Use the proper fuel/oil mixture in two-stroke equipment
· Keep blades sharp to improve fuel efficiency
Use Manual Tools:
READ MORE….
Popularity: 36% [?]
Paper Conservation - End Junk Mail
Sunday, April 20th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
Unopened mail creates a lot of waste. In fact, a recent Canadian Marketing Study quoted in the Flyer Distribution Standards Association newsletter suggests that:
• 67% of Canadians are not interested in the flyers and advertising that comes in the mail
• 25% of Canadians discard them without reading
In the US, the problem is even worse. The Forest Ethics website (www.forestethics.com) reports that junk mail distributed in the US accounts for 30% of the mail delivered in the WORLD, and that 44% of it goes into landfills unopened.
Some of the paper used in producing these ads comes from the Canadian boreal forest, which is being logged at a rate of 2 acres per minute, 24 hours a day to produce junk mail and other paper products. READ MORE
Popularity: 35% [?]
Water Conservation
Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
When temperatures get warmer, people have a tendency to increase their water consumption for activities such as watering lawns and gardens and washing the car. Making an effort to break any water-wasting habits now will pay off in the summer. And it’s easier to reduce your water consumption than you may think.
There is reason for people to reduce the amount of water we use. According to environmentalindicators.com, overall water use in North America has increased by more than 25% since 1980. In fact, daily average for water use is 335L, which could be hugely reduced.
The good news is that there are loads of ways to save water. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Run water only when necessary
• Do not run water while shaving, brushing teeth, or scrubbing your hands or dishes
• Lower the temperature of drinking water by keeping it in the refrigerator rather than running the tap
• Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator overnight rather than using water READ MORE
Popularity: 30% [?]
Green Eating Choices
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
It is easy to derive pleasure from a delicious meal; however, it is also easy to forget about the environmental consequences of our food choices. Commercial agriculture, for example, contributes to air and water pollution, as well as habitat degradation. Furthermore, the use of pesticides and antibiotics in large-scale farming operations produces diseases and pests that are hard to control.
Considering that everyone eats, smart food choices can go a long way towards helping the environment. Here are some ways to put together environmentally-friendly meals.
Buy Local Groceries
It takes less fuel to transport locally grown or produced fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy products than it does to transport foods over long distances. As such, less pollution is produced and less fuel is used to transport local food products.
Make Smart Fish Choices
Fish populations and the health of aquatic ecosystems are at risk from overfishing, bycatch (organisms that are inadvertently killed as a result of fishing practices), and the wastes produced by fish farms. Programs such as Vancouver B.C.’s Ocean Wise Program helps locals choose sustainable fish options. This Program was launched in 2005 by the Vancouver Aquarium to work with restaurants and markets to help them buy ocean-friendly fish. The program is also intended to help consumers purchase sustainably-harvested fish and to avoid fish on the endangered list.
Try Going Meatless
Beef, pork, and poultry production uses more resources and causes more pollution than other types of agriculture. As such, even an occasional vegetarian meal helps the environment. Vegetarian alternatives include veggie hot dogs, veggie burgers, beans, and tofu, among others. Most vegetarian foods are tasty and nutritious. When using meat, it is best to purchase products that are organically grown, raised without antibiotics, locally-produced and freerange.
Popularity: 39% [?]
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