What it Means to be a Green Consumer

While flipping through the paper this morning I stopped at the article entitled: “It’s Not Easy Being Green”. However, I was quickly disappointed when I gathered from the first paragraph that the columnist was lamenting the perception that to be a green consumer meant she would have to limit her shoe purchases. After reading that short sited comment I moved on to a more worthwhile section such - the comics!

If being a ‘green consumer’ meant “not buying things” then I would have much more money in my bank account then I do! The green consumer might limit their purchases to the items needed, as opposed to five pairs of black shoes, but that potential savings could be quickly gobbled up by a willingness to pay a premium for an earth friendly product.

Instead, being a green consumer means being a smart consumer. Making the effort to take into consideration the entire cost of a product from the materials and process used during manufacturing to the location of manufacture to the quality and durability of the product.

The columnist did get one thing right, being a green consumer is not easy. However, the difficulty is because a green consumer has to be more aware and willing to ask questions rather then just finding the “most adorable pumps”.

Try Something Different This Weekend!

If you are looking for a slightly different adventure this weekend you might want to consider visiting a "pick your own" farm. Spending an afternoon in a field eating twice as many berries as end up in the bucket is a great escape from the usual grind!

From an economics perspective, getting produce from pick your own farms probably does not make much sense, especially when one factors in the transportation cost and time involved. However, it is unmatched when it comes to freshness and quality of produce, not to mention the learning experience about where strawberries come from!

The fruit and produce season has just begun in Ontario with strawberries being at the top of the list right now. However, soon cherries, blueberries, raspberries, plums, pears etc will be ready to be harvested.

For more information about pick your own farms here are a few links:

PickYourOwn.org [covers all of North America, as well as some listings in Europe]

Foodland Ontario

Sun and Water Don’t Mix

Even though the summer solstice is still a few days away, the summer weather is already here. For the past week the weather in my corner of the world has been glorious. Hot, but not too hot and a light breeze to diffuse the humidity level. The only thing missing is the occasional rainfall to protect the gardens from shrivelling under the sun. As a result, many people [myself included] are helping the garden out a bit by watering.

Here are a few watering tips to keep in mind:

Water during the cool of the morning or in the evening. Do not water in the sun. Watering in the sun results in a lot of the water being wasted through evaporation, as well as runs the risk of burning the plant due to the increased magnification of the sun’s rays through the water.

Water the garden not the grass. The only reason to water your grass is for it to ‘look nice’. Grass can survive dry spells. In contrast, garden plants, flowers, vegetables, herbs etc, often need water to grow properly.

Water the bottom not the top. Try to get as much water at the soil level rather then on the leaves. It is the roots of the plants that need the water. Often, water on the leaves evaporates before the plant can benefit from it.

Slow water is better then fast water. Water can be absorbed by the soil only so quickly; if you apply too much water too quickly it will just run off rather then be absorbed. It is better to apply some water, go to another section and then return when the water has absorbed.

New trees are thirsty. Planting a new tree is a great way to help the environment. One of the keys to the tree surviving is to keep it well watered for at least the first season until the roots get established. I like to give my new trees a good drink of water at least once a week, perhaps more frequently if it has been particularly sunny or the tree seems to be struggling.

Containers need more water. Plants in hangers or containers need regular watering as they have a limited access to water in their container.

Start a water fight with someone only if you are the one holding the hose!

Another Retailer Tries Green

While I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Zellers now has a line of eco-clothing consisting of men’s shirts and shorts made from materials such as bamboo and organic cotton, I was thrilled to discover that the bamboo/cotton golf shirts are both reasonably priced and incredibly comfortable!

The golf shirt that I purchased for $17.97 is made from 70% bamboo and 30% cotton . Due primarily to the bamboo, the fabric is super soft, almost like cashmere without the maintenance hassles or allergy concerns. Furthermore, apparently bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial helping to keep the garment ‘fresh’ all day long.

The only reason why I am not stocking up on these shirts is because they only have two colours – a wonderful deep green and a rather bland khaki. It would also be nice if they had this clothing for women, but then the price would be twice as much!

If you have a chance, I would encourage you to check out this new Eco-Choice product line. Even though purchasing products from major retailers flies in the face of supporting your neighbourhood merchants, the more that retailers realize there is a market for such items the more likely it is that they will become increasingly available.

A Blinding Idea!

Want to increase the comfort of your home? Think of two words: Window Coverings!

They can be blinds or drapes or sheers [but not too sheer] they can be expensive and in almost any colour and style. Best of all, used properly, they will make you home much more comfortable as well as possibly put more money in your wallet.

The trick is to get into the habit of using them, especially in the summer months. Before you leave for work in the morning close the blinds. When you come home in the evening you will find the temperature much more comfortable because the sun has not been streaming through your windows making the rooms hot as ovens. A similar logic to the difference between returning to a car that has been sitting in the sun all day and one that has been in the shade or with a windshield sun defector.

As an added bonus if you have air conditioning you will realize a savings because it does not have to work as hard!

For the really adventuresome in the crowd, this tip could be effective in making the office environment more comfortable as well. It is often a challenge in offices to get the air conditioning to be even throughout the building. Closing the shades on the windows could help to offset this problem.

By the way, in the winter, try the reverse by leaving the window coverings open to take advantage of the passive solar power of the sun during the day.

Small Needs to Become the New Big

It is becoming evident that there needs to be a fundamental shift in the North American values system if we are to get ourselves out of this environmental mess we have created. At the core, there needs to be a realization that small is better. Rather then competing with the Jone’s for the biggest house, biggest car etc, the competition should “how small can you go?”

Have no fear, there will still be the opportunity to spend large amounts of money and demonstrate conspicuous consumption, however there will be a twist. Rather then gloating about the new 3500 sq foot house your family of three inhabit, it will be mentioning how through personal ingenuity, and ability to purchase the newest of technology your family is able to cut their house footprint in half and thrive in a home of only 1700 sq feet!

The new measuring stick for cars will not be speed and engine size, but fuel economy and efficiency of space. For those really striving to be noted, you can create a lifestyle where you only have to drive your car on weekends! Try and beat that Jone’s!

Unfortunately, while this shift is needed immediately, it does not seem to be on the horizon. Bigger is still better. Hopefully, as more and more people seek options for what they can do to help improve the environment, the mantra will gradually become “Smaller is smarter”.

Just Stop.

When was the last time you just stopped? I don’t mean stopped at a traffic light or got caught in a traffic jam, but intentionally stopped and opened up all your senses – sight, hearing, smell, touch and to some extent taste.

Unfortunately, in the chaos of everyday life, the opportunities to stop and see, I mean REALLY see with all your senses is often lost under the “list of things to do”. This is unfortunate because in this haste and chaos so many amazing things are overlooked or glossed over. As you scurry down the street rushing to work, you might hear a bird chirping but you don’t have time to stop and listen to the bird’s song, try to spot it in the tree or marvel at the action of flight.

Now I am not suggesting that it would be appropriate to say to your boss that the reason you were late for work was because a bird was singing, but I am suggesting that at lunch time you find a park bench and just stop. Listen for that bird [or it’s friends]. Notice how the sun bounces off the concrete and glass of our urban world. Watch the other human animals scurrying past you and marvel at our ability to have such an impact on our world and at the same time be oblivious to it.

I am convinced that if we spent just a few minutes stopping, then we would uncover an amazing host of sights, sounds, textures and small miracles that have been there all along, but we were too busy to just stop.

Yup, that makes sense.

I have a confession, while two to be exact. One - I wash my clothes on a regular basis; and two - sometimes I have to have the dots clearly connected for me before I "get it". The other day both of these truths collided into an "ah ha" moment.

Whenever possible rather then using the dryer I prefer to hang my clothes on the clothes line. This gives me pleasure because: it is better for the environment; it is less expensive and I get to snub the silly bylaw prohibiting clothes lines in my municipality! In the past, the decision as to whether I will dry the clothes in the dryer or on the line has been made at the washer stage. If I am putting the clothes on the line then I put liquid fabric softener in the wash. If the clothes are headed for the dryer then I cringe with the plan to put a dryer sheet in the dryer.

For years, it has bothered me that used dryer sheets cannot be composted, and therefore have no other destination then landfill. I have tried unsuccessfully to find other uses for used dryer sheets, finally trying to simply find comfort in the fact that at least the sheets are small.

Then the other day my system was foiled by an unexpected rainfall! Clothes that were destined for the clothes line had to be re-routed to the dryer. I hate to admit it, but it took me a while to figure out that because I put fabric softener in the wash, I do not have to put a dryer sheet in the dryer. It took me even longer to conclude [and I even had to check with my theory with my husband] that there is no reason for me EVER to use dryer sheets, as their function can be replaced by the liquid softener...duh! Note from editor: I am carefully dancing around the whole "why use dryer sheets or fabric softener at all" debate.

I bring this painfully true story to your attention for two reasons:

One: Don't use dryer sheets. They are an unnecessary waste
Two: Even those of us that are continually thinking green miss some of the most obvious things!

A Better Way to Shop for Groceries

With the coming of summer also arrives the opening of seasonal farmers markets. While grocery shopping at the farmers market takes longer then a quick trip to the grocery store, the benefits are well worth it.

Unlike the sterile corporate feel of the grocery store, farmers markets tend to be full of activity, colour and characters. At farmers markets, the cold shrug of shoulders from a grocery clerk in response to a question such as “are these tomatoes local” is replaced with not only an overwhelming “Yes!” but very often information about the time earlier that day that the produce was picked!

Variety is another difference between grocery stores and farmers markets. Whereas most grocery stores are part of a huge distribution chain, enabling produce to be available year round [just shipped in from further way]; farmers markets are largely dependent on what is in season. This means that at the market, in addition to becoming more in tune to the growing seasons for different fruits and vegetables, you might also have the chance to find some less common local specialities, that are not part of the grocery store distribution chain.

From an environmental perspective, farmers markets are a wonderful way to ‘shop local’ and help build a sustainable economy.

The weekend is coming, the best time to explore a farmers market rather then slogging through the grocery store.

For information about farmers markets in your area try doing a google search on: farmers market and your town, and/or check out these sites:

www.growninpeel.ca

www.toronto.ca/events/markets.htm