An easy way to use less hot water
Posted March 9, 2010 12:07 by Carl in General, Green Living

The average person reaches for a faucet many times each day.  Without thinking, we often grab the hot water tap – even when we need such a small amount of water that hot water never actually reaches the faucet.

But, regardless of its temperature, every drop that comes out of the hot water tap costs energy (and money).  That’s because every time the hot water tap is opened, hot water starts moving from the hot water tank toward the faucet.  If it is ‘stranded’ somewhere along the way, it just cools and its energy is wasted.

So when you need just a little water, reach for the cold water tap – and save some precious hot water.

In the news:

Not content with the outcome of December’s Copenhagen climate summit, Caribbean leaders recently signed a declaration urging quicker, more aggressive action on climate change.  The President of Bolivia is hosting the World People’s Conference on Climate Change on Earth Day, and is calling for a ‘Declaration of Rights for Mother Earth’ – an interesting concept.

Weird weather is a precursor to climate change, and Newfoundland and Labrador has sure been getting its share this month: here, here and here.

How can most commuters save hundreds of dollars in fuel and parking fees every year?  By carpooling.

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Small gadget, big savings
Posted February 23, 2010 16:39 by Carl in Green Living, Products, Social Change
Toilets are a home's biggest water users.  If you can't change out your old toilet (which probably uses 13-20 litres per flush) for a new one that uses just 6 litres per flush, here's a simple and inexpensive alternative.
 
It's called a a toilet tank fill cycle diverter - a tiny device that installs in a toilet tank in seconds, and limits the amount of water that flows into the bowl during filling.  It saves water every time you flush - potentially saving over 10,000 litres per toilet per year!
 
Here's a three-minute video showing what a diverter is, how it works and how to install it.  You can find plenty of models and suppliers by Googling toilet tank fill cycle diverter. 
 
Two more strategies to save even more water:
- put a brick or bag of water in your toilet tank, so it uses less water every fill-up
- pour a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank.  If any of the color seeps into the bowl before you next flush, your flapper probably needs to be replaced - a small cost for HUGE water savings.  Here's a one-minute video showing you how to do it.
In the news 
 
Climate change impacts always seem more real when they happen near to home - so municipal officials in Halifax, Nova Scotia sat up and listened when told of the impacts of rising sea levels on that city's waterfront. 
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/02/10/ns-halifax-harbour-levels.html
 
Do you know someone who's going green and doing good? Why not nominate them as a Hometown Hero?  http://www.earthday.ca/hometown/ Or tell the story of an every day environmental hero in the Every Day Heroes Film Competition.
http://www.earthday.ca/pub/film_competition.php   Great prizes are available in both competitions.

Are 4 wheel drive vehicles really safer? And is their huge dollar and environmental cost worth their limited benefits? Learn more here.

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Freecycling, a great way to clear clutter and keep stuff out of landfills
Posted February 9, 2010 22:42 by Carl in Active Living, General, Green Living, Products, Social Change

Every day, landfills across the country receive truckloads of things that are perfectly good but just not needed anymore.  It’s an inglorious end for stuff that still has useful service to offer.

But there’s a better way.  If you’re looking to get rid of perfectly good stuff that’s cluttering up your basement, garage or office, consider freecycling it.  Freecycling is making it available (via the internet) it at no cost to someone in your community who could use it. 

Check out www.freecycle.org; there’s a good chance you’ll find a local on-line group you can join.  If there’s no Freecycle group in your community, you can ‘be the change’ and start one!

You won’t get rich freecycling, but you can unclutter your life and you’ll do a good thing by keeping stuff out of the landfill before its time.  And maybe, you’ll discover that someone’s giving away something YOU want…

(If you prefer, there are plenty of charities across Canada that can use your used goods: http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/charityvillage/donate.asp.)

In the news:

"It's happening much faster than our most pessimistic projections," said University of Manitoba Professor David Barber last week, releasing the results of an extensive new study of Arctic ice disappearance.

Arg!!  Guess where global warming ranked in a Pew Research Center survey asking people to prioritize 21 social and economic issues... 

Mais oui - bilingual signs for your paper towel and soap dispensers are now available for download here.  (Thanks to subscriber Mariet van Groenewoud for the suggestion!)

For many people, climate change is about a few degrees of warming.  But wait – there’s more, much more!

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Sometimes one IS enough
Posted January 26, 2010 14:50 by Carl in Active Living, Automotive, Business, Climate Change, General, Green Living, Sceptic Buster, Social Change
In public washrooms, soap and paper towels are available for free - so it’s easy to get into the habit of using lots of both.  Yet when it comes to clean hands, one pump of soap and one paper towel are usually enough to do the job.
I believe most people want to do the right thing - but often we need little reminders.  If every soap dispenser had a little sign next to it, “Please use just one pump” and if every paper towel dispenser had a little sign “Paper comes from trees - please use as little as possible”, I bet a lot less soap would get used and many trees (and dollars) could be saved.
Agree?  If so, check out attractive, free signs here.  Download them, print them and post them in washrooms at your school, office, business or other public place.  I’m betting you’ll see an instant difference!
(Please e-mail info@changeyourcorner.com for information on mounted or laminated signs customized with your logo.)
In the News:
Even as climate change marches on (the latest news: 2009 was tied as the second warmest year on record ), there is no shortage of confusing and contradictory climate information in circulation.  For concise, science-based explanations of common denial arguments, check out the UK Royal Society’s simple guide (sourced from this page). 
 
If you're among the many who heat with electric baseboards, you need to know about mini-splits: an easy retrofit that delivers big savings on heating. 
Hydro-Québec and Mitsubishi last week announced the largest electric vehicle trial in Canada.

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Skip the button and pull the door
Posted January 13, 2010 12:01 by Carl in Active Living, Climate Change, General, Green Living, Social Change

Automatic door openers are in buildings everywhere these days, helping provide access to people with mobility challenges.  But their popularity has led to an unintended side effect: many people with no mobility issues have gotten into the comfortable habit of pressing the button too.

Automatic openers use electricity, and they often hold exterior doors open long enough for a lot of heat to escape.

So to save a bit of electricity and heat, why not leave automatic door openers for those who really need them, and , if you can, open doors the old-fashioned way.

In the News

What are the TOP 10 environmental moments of the past decade?  Here they are, according to CNN.  The last two sentences of number 8 will likely surprise you.

Who - or what - came out on top in Copenhagen last month, and who - or what - lost out?

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For the holidays, an easy reminder: keep that fridge door closed
Posted December 31, 2009 11:32 by Carl in Active Living, Climate Change, Food, General, Green Living, Social Change

In this season of leftovers, it's worth being reminded of a common sense tip: you can save money and energy by opening your refrigerator as infrequently as possible and opening the door only as widely as necessary.

To help remember, imagine your fridge as being full of water.  It comes gushing out each time you open the door.  The more frequently and the wider you open the door, the more water that ends up on your floor.  

Cold air in your fridge is like that water: it's heavier than warm air, so it comes tumbling out each time the fridge door opens.  And the more cold air that escapes, the more your fridge needs to work to replace it.  That costs energy and money.

So the next time you open your fridge, imagine that it's full of water and act accordingly.  Your fridge will thank you by using less energy!
In the news 
In a moving speech at the Copenhagen climate conference, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed declared, "There are those who tell us that solving climate change is impossible.  There are those who tell us taking radical action is too difficult.  There are those who tell us to give up hope.  Well, I am here to tell you that we refuse to give up hope.  We refuse to be quiet.  We refuse to believe that a better world isn't possible."
 
To all readers, greetings for a joyous holiday season and a successful, green 2010.  Please refuse to believe that a better world isn't possible - and start by changing your corner of it!
 
In the vast, bleak coldness of this universe, Earth, our home, is no more than a pale blue dot - something to contemplate as you mull over your resolutions for 2010.

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Snow and Ice can help me save energy and money??
Posted December 15, 2009 19:14 by Carl in Climate Change, Food, General, Green Living, Social Change

Several years ago, I worked with potato farmers – wise and pragmatic people.  In springtime, they would bring some snow into their potato storages.  Snow absorbs a lot of heat as it melts, so it kept the storage (and potatoes) cool, extending the life of the potatoes. 


Just as snow keeps those potato storages cool, it can help you save a bit of energy and money at home:


• If you take snow or ice from outside and put it into your fridge, it will absorb heat as it melts, meaning your fridge comes on less.  (That’s how ‘iceboxes’ worked in the days before fridges.)
• You can make ice cubes for free outside, giving your fridge’s freezer compartment a break.  (When you pause to think about it, it’s a bit odd that we use energy to make ice in winter…)

Take advantage of FREE snow and ice to save a bit of energy and money!

 

In the News:

“We have a real emergency” says former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in a New York Times column urging world leaders to come to a global agreement.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/opinion/10iht-edgorbachev.html?_r=1

“Winter activities across Canada, from Olympic sports like skiing and snowboarding to iconic Canadian pastimes such as ice fishing and pond hockey will be at risk if we don't take international action to reduce global warming,'' write current and former members of Canada’s Olympic team in a letter to Prime Minister Harper urging serious action on climate change.
http://www.canada.com/Olympic+athletes+join+call+action+climate+change/2320896/story.html

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A Critical Two Weeks for a Troubled Planet
Posted December 7, 2009 22:47 by Carl in Active Living, Climate Change, General, Green Living, Social Change

The long awaited Copenhagen Climate Change Conference kicked off yesterday.  It's a critical moment, one that will test our global community's ability - and desire - to work together to solve a problem that will impact every single human on Earth. 
This week, a few visuals worth watching:
From 1992, "The Girl Who Silenced the World", a twelve year old's powerful message to to world leaders gathering for the Rio Earth Summit.

"The Story of Stuff", a frank look at where stuff comes from and where it ends up - worth thinking about during this 'season of stuff'.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak to another 500 young people about climate change.  To me, their bright, young faces represent hope and promise for the future.  For their sake and the sake of all youth everywhere, let's hope our leaders gathering in Copenhagen get it right.
In the news 
Check out this editorial calling for action from world leaders on climate change, published yesterday by 56 newspapers around the world in 20 languages.
Sometimes short-term cheap comes with a much larger long-term cost.

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Hung out to dry - in winter even!
Posted November 17, 2009 10:23 by Carl in Active Living, Climate Change, General, Products, Social Change
The clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in your home; clotheslines can save a heap of money and energy.  But what about those cold winter days, when hanging clothes out isn't very pleasant?
Consider portable or retractable clotheslines: lines that can be set up indoors or in porches when needed, and neatly put away when not in use.  There are many models available, from single strands that can be strung above your bath tub to room-length multiple parallel lines that can hold a full load of laundry.  (If you have wood heat and a ceiling fan, you'll be amazed at how fast clothes dry indoors.)
You can see different models here  or here (note: not an endorsement, just examples).
One important note: it's good to dry clothes indoors, but beware that you're not creating excess moisture in your home, because that can cause problems such as mold.  In many  homes, the natural air leakage is enough to remove moisture.  In more air-tight homes, air exchangers usually prevent moisture problems.  But take note!
In the news 
Disappointingly, world leaders meeting in Singapore have given up on reaching a global climate agreement in Copenhagen next month, and Prime Minister Harper's office has indicated that the PM is not going to the summit.
For a quick overview of the Copenhagen summit, click here.
Check out this YouTube video and get involved with a neat new project, Love Letters to the Future.

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Greener Parking
Posted November 4, 2009 11:42 by Carl in Active Living, Active Transporation, Automotive, Climate Change, General, Green Living, Social Change

Even something as simple as the way you park your vehicle can have an impact on the environment.  Here are small ways you can make a difference:

 

1. most important: pick the first available spot you come to instead of driving around looking for a closer spot.

 

2. choose a ‘drive-through’ parking spot if possible, so you can pull out without having to reverse

 

3. turn off your engine and coast those last few meters into your parking spot (easier with a standard than an automatic).  For safety’s sake, be sure the area is clear first, keep your foot ready on the brake, and remember that the steering wheel can lock if you turn the key too far and then try to straighten out the wheel!! 

 

In the news 

A new study shows Canada CAN reduce emissions significantly while growing jobs and the economy. http://www.cftktv.com/news/16/1014342 

Nepal's Cabinet will hold a meeting on Mount Everest to highlight the threat from global warming, which is causing glaciers to melt in the Himalayas.  http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jfY-HAhhnjCmbcDBufRy84xY3VlgD9BNAK380 

The world needs many voices to speak in the in the run-up to Copenhagen - are you ready to be the change on climate change? http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/magazine/article/843540

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