When talking to people about buying green I feel it’s important to point out that being a green consumer can take many forms or “shades”. There’s being green by buying local in an effort to reduce one’s carbon footprint. There’s being green by following the three R’s. There’s being green through efficient use of fuel and energy. All these shades lessen our impact on the planet; some even have the benefit of improving our personal wellbeing. That said there is a shade of green that provides a third benefit: safeguarding the health of those involved in the production of the goods we buy; and that’s through buying organic; particularly when it comes to cotton.

Conventional cotton is one of the world’s most chemically treated crops, consuming 10 percent of all agricultural chemicals and 25 percent of insecticides. That adds up to 1/3 of a kilogram of chemicals just to produce enough cotton for a single pair of jeans! The impact of all this chemical usage however isn’t felt by those wearing the clothing in question but rather by those that must live around and work with the cotton crops on a day-in-day-out basis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 20,000 deaths occur each year from pesticide poisoning in developing countries, many of those from cotton farming. (more…)

Each year Earth Day is a bigger event….Why?

Earth Day is now observed on April 22 in 175 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network, according to whom Earth Day is now the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a half billion people every year.  Environmental groups have sought to make Earth Day into a day of action which changes human behavior and provokes policy changes.

Founded in 1970, Earth Day is a driving force steering environmental citizenship and progressive action worldwide, around the world. Through Earth Day, activists connect change in local, national, and global policies. Earth Day’s international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the North American programs engage 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. It is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day campaigns every year. 

(more…)

Wondering what to do with the family to mark Earth Day?  There are many different options to choose from. We’ve started to form our own Earth Day Family traditions, just like any other holiday.  I hope this year will be the start of yours too.

To lead up to the Day, there are many new Earth Day books available for kids this year.  Dora Celebrates Earth Day! will be a hit at our house, but if that’s not quite your speed, there are many more to choose from. Here’s one list to check out:  LINK

Moving outside, the end of April should be great for hiking or biking, or heading to the park.  Gardening season is in full swing by the end of April.  Whether its planting a tree, or planting a garden (organic, of course!), it’s a great way to spend some time outdoors – and you can start now inside with seedlings.

If you’re looking for somewhere to go, check out this link for events all across Ontario: Earth Day

I’ve been to Downsview Park in Toronto for the last several years, and it’s a great event for all ages, with entertainment, and “green goods” to mark the day.

[written by Katie Altoft]

If you get a professional energy audit done and make subsequent changes to your home, you could be eligible for a grant of up to $5,000 from the federal government, which may also be matched by your provincial government.

Proposed new legislation in Ontario may soon require a home energy audit prior to sale. If you are wondering if your house wastes energy, get a professional home energy audit now to locate your home’s leaks and inefficiencies. It’ll help you make choices about home upgrades and will save you money over time.

Looking ahead, energy efficient homes are attractive on the real estate market and sell for as much as $8,000 more. A more energy-efficient home is warmer in winter, cooler in summer and has cleaner air. Apart from the benefit to the bottom-line pricing of your home upon resale, you can also recoup the cost of the audit and the retrofits you make by saving as much as 35% on your heating and cooling costs.  Using less energy in your home will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy production by as much as 4 tonnes a year.

At Green Cricket we are concerned about energy saving too and we highlight to our customers the products that are produced within 100 miles of our warehouse. Seeing the distance-to-market criteria symbol on our website will help you in your purchasing decisions along with our other Quality Criteria.

[written by Kate Holloway, Trevor Smith]

In a word – YES. You’ve probably heard at least some of the fuss about Bisphenol A or BPA, particularly with respect to baby bottles. While BPA is particularly hazardous to babies (born or unborn), the most recent studies show it’s a health issue for all of us.

Green Cricket steel bottles

Here’s how:

- BPA is a chemical that acts like estrogen in the body and interferes with normal hormonal function.

- BPA during pregnancy can negatively impact the developing breast and prostate and have adverse effects on brain development and behavior in children.

- BPA may also contribute to such impacts as breast cancer, infertility and early puberty in girls.

- BPA is being linked to significantly increased risks of diabetes and heart disease.

Most importantly, though, we’re just beginning to understand how dangerous it may be. A healthy dose of precaution is definitely in order. So where is BPA found, and how do we avoid it?

(more…)

I’m sure you’ve noticed. Becoming a mom seems to make you the world’s biggest magnet for advice. From what to feed the kids, to how to get them to sleep, to where they should go to school - it seems like everyone has a lot of ideas, and usually conflicting ones, on what you should do and how you should do it.

You may also have noticed that remarkably little of this advice has anything to do with your impact on the planet. Much of it is routed in traditions that formed long before we calculated our carbon footprints and fretted about the recycled content of our baby wipes. If you had asked my Mom about what it meant to be a Green Mom, she would have assumed that you got too close to a dirty diaper and weren’t feeling so well.

The funny thing is that the green answers also seem to be routed in tradition. Looking back to simpler times, we’re choosing things with fewer, more natural ingredients, from around the corner not across the globe. Right now, manufacturers are struggling with how to provide the conveniences that we’ve become accustomed to, without the nasty impacts that they’re having on the planet.

(more…)