Ever been to countries where you can be by a lake and enjoy the outdoors without the fear of being bitten by a black fly, mosquito or some other bug? Well I have, but alas that country is NOT Canada (unless of course that lake is frozen)!  After a long winter, Canadians are anxious to enjoy the outdoors – camping, the cottage, and the garden BUT without being bitten.  So, what repellents are safe for us and for the environment?

DDT used to be the answer in the mid 1900’s.   The chemical was hailed as a solution, especially in countries where mosquito-carrying diseases such as malaria were a problem.  Initially it was declared safe, but it became evident that DDT was toxic to the environment and, furthermore, mosquitoes could become immune to its effect!  In 1962, Silent Spring by American biologist Rachel Carson listed the environmental impacts of the indiscriminate spraying of DDT in the US and questioned the logic of releasing large amounts of chemicals into the environment without fully understanding their effects on ecology or human health. (Its publication was one of the signature events in the birth of the environmental movement.  Silent Spring resulted in a large public outcry that eventually led to most uses of DDT being banned in the US in 1972 and subsequently banned for agricultural use worldwide.  

Let’s talk about DEET.  The chemical is N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. It is the most common active ingredient in many insect repellents.  It too, has been used since World War II and works to combat insects.   But prolonged exposure can give health problems and studies suggest it should be used sparingly and only where essential to avoid insect carrying diseases.

So what can you do?  Avoidance is best of course:

•  Keep away from stagnant pools of water 
• If you have a pond, add a turtle as a pet (they love mozzies!)
•  Use fragrance-free and essential oil lotions or shampoos, as some artificial fragrances attract mosquitoes
• Cover up or stay indoors at dawn or dusk

But wait! Have you tried CITRONELLA based products?

Oil of Citronella shows little or no toxicity.  When used according to label instructions, citronella does not pose health risks to people, including children and other sensitive populations.
  Oil of Citronella poses minimal or no risks to wildlife and because of the low toxicity and limited uses of Oil of Citronella, it is not harmful to the environment. It is perhaps one of our best options to enjoy Canada in bug season!! 

Cottage Testimonial from Green Cricket staff member, Jamie Hitchon :

“I did the unthinkable.  I went down to my dock with no protection and watched the black flies and mosquito’s swarm me. Then I applied the bug repellent and not one fly landed on me! I have been trying different products forever now and I am happy to say I have found one that actually works and smells good!”

It is getting complicated as we steward resources used for carrying groceries and for garbage!

Waste management programs around the GTA have been in effect for some time aimed at reducing landfill burdens. We are now getting used to sorting our waste into separate containers for recyclables, compostable organics, garden waste and any remaining miscellaneous garbage. It is only the latter garbage, we are told, ends up in landfill. The Green Bin program for organic waste has received good press in The New York Times.  However with the praise comes a note of caution: The Toronto Star claims that not all authorities around Toronto are ideally set up to sort non-compostable plastic bags that are often mixed with much of the Green Bin material. As Toronto stores in June 2009 start charging customers a fee for every plastic bag used, our thoughts go again to using reusable bags or bins for our groceries. But even then, there might be a hitch. A May 2009 National Post article cites potential health risks from reusable cloth bags that touch food - so an argument is made for staying with plastic!

What should the environmental and health conscious consumer do? Here are some thoughts:

* Make full use of waste segregation available in your municipality

* Minimize plastic bags used in your Green Bin

* If required, use biodegradable plastic bags in the Green Bin for odour control

* Be aware that often there is not a perfect solution even with biodegradable plastics [see Blog (C) by Niagara College students].

Perhaps that best advice is to minimize all garbage and extra packaging in the first place.  There’s some food for thought!

A few weeks ago, Susan Mey (Green Cricket President) and I (Trevor Smith) visited Niagara College (Niagara on the Lake), where Green Cricket Expert Katie Altoft teaches.  We challenged the Environmental Management students to write a Blog on a topic of interest to them.  The three best Blogs have been chosen to be published here on our website… All entries were very good - CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!   Please read on…

BLOG A : Making a Difference, One by One!   

How can one person make a difference by buying green products? This is often a question among people of all ages, but the real issue is taking responsibility for the environment, young or old. There is conflict in today’s generation gap with many differences in the ways green issues are viewed. Younger generations are more aware of their impact because of the attention it receives through media, education, and other sources. Some people may be influenced by the financial limitations to “going green”, but this is the only alternative if we want to live in a sustainable world. It is time to take ownership of what our actions have on the environment.

Changing our ways can be accomplished one step at a time and it’s time that we begin making the earth a safer place to live. If one person at a time makes a change towards buying “Green” products, this will increase the demand for greener products. The resulting change will be an increase in supply and therefore a reduction of costs, making the products more accessible and affordable for everyone. By purchasing just one green product, there is a message being sent to the manufacturers regarding the types of products consumers want. Don’t be discouraged, without each drop of water there would be no ocean.  Start the wave!        

[By: Heidi Littlejohn, Edith Bouchard, Jade Bowen, Lisa Hay]

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BLOG B : How Do I Green My Wedding?

With the green revolution sweeping through all of life’s phases it has finally influencing peoples decisions on wedding preparations. With the wedding season starting up some couples are curious about how to incorporate green initiatives into their day. With issues around caterers, flowers, transportation and invitations the potential impact could be larger than you think.

There are ways to reduce the impact that your wedding could have.  The food served at the reception could be made using local products.  Instead of using cut flowers to decorate potted plants will do as well and can be replanted afterwards.  Transportation from the ceremony to the reception can be done by using horse and carriage over a Limo and there are printing places that use enviro-friendly ink on recycled paper.  There are more ways to green your wedding than a few years ago.

My wife and I were married two years ago and did as much as we could then to have a green wedding.  Since we lived in a rural area the food was local and fresh and organic.  We decided to use local native plants for the majority of our decorations.  Our invitations, seating plan and guest book were made with recycled paper and recycled inks.  Ever since that day our friends keep on asking us about how they can do the same and we give them advice and direct them to companies like Green Cricket.              

[By: Terrance Gole]

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BLOG C : What is the point of something being Bio-degradable?

If packaging/product is bio-degradable but its sent to a landfill and buried, it won’t have a chance to degrade at all. This is because most bio-degradable product/packaging need sunlight (like plastic shopping bags) or oxygen (for aerobic bacterial growth) to breakdown.

Bio-degradable is a buzz word. People buy products thinking it’s better for the environment but in reality, if not disposed of properly, it is no better.

There should be a campaign to enlighten the public what is really true…

[By: Melissa Gibson, Sovi Ahoansou, Christine Spano,  Mathusha Sivakumaran.

Green Cricket Editor Note:   This blog touches on an important issue. Whereas paper breaks down in landfill, plastic is much more of a problem….that is until recently - with the advent of biodegradable plastics.  The term biodegradable means that the material is able to be broken down and composted by living organisms into simpler components that have a much reduced impact on the environment.  Plant polymers derived from corn or wheat are chosen over traditional plastics derived from non-renewable resources such as oil and coal.

It is correct that, in an anaerobic (air-locked) landfill, deprived of oxygen and the microorganisms that “eat” naturally biodegradable materials, the decomposition will be severely restricted.  However composting (Green Bin) city programs provide better opportunity for decomposition.  Check out the Maxx Air holder/BioBag system sold by Green Cricket (for under the sink storage and Green Bin disposal) as a way to maximizing the integrity of the holding container (no messy breakage) and the ultimate biodegradability of the bag and contents.

As summer has finally reached Canada, many of us turn our thoughts to the outdoors and gardening. What choices can we make to make our garden and gardening habits green?

Where is your garden?

Gardens for you may be your planter on your patio, that vegetable patch or flower garden in your yard, raised beds or even a roof top garden at your place of work.  Check out other urban roof top garden projects at University of Toronto. The Urban Agriculture Society is a campus club started to facilitate activities for a rooftop garden: http://uas.sa.utoronto.ca/about/]

What about Pesticides?

This time of year is great; going outside without a jacket, longer days, and most of all, my green lawn and blooming garden. Well, green and blooming except for those pesky weeds sprouting up. Dare I spray them? Absorbed through inhalation when being applied or through contact with treated vegetation, home pesticide and herbicide use has been identified as a key source for elevated levels of toxic substances found in humans; particularly among children with some disturbing side-effects (the most commonly used such substance in Canada, 2,4-D has been linked to male infertility and has been classified as a potential carcinogen).

Herbicides also wash off our lawns and gardens in the rain and end up contaminating groundwater and local waterways, affecting other species of wildlife. Many municipalities and some provinces (Vancouver, Halifax, Quebec and Ontario) have now banned the use of cosmetic pesticides and herbicides due to their strong link to conditions such as childhood asthma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and prostate cancer. After all, how healthy can pesticides and herbicides be when Health Canada lists over 20 points for their safe handling, including warning pregnant women to stay away from them? So how do I get rid of those pesky weeds?

Green solutions:

Green Cricket can help you with better choices. A phrase I have seen recently with regards to items is to choose products that “complement the environment”. Check out these options in our product line-up to compliment the environment in your garden by virtue of aspects screened using our “Green Cricket Criteria”:

Weed control: Pet safe biodegradable weed killer.

Soil – naturally weed-free potting soil.

Lawn patch to fill in those gaps that appeared over the winter.

Grass seed that yields a low maintenance lawn you hardly have to cut!

Fertilizer: Easy to use product made from hen manure or worm castings.

Clean up: Biodegradable recycled material leaf bags.

And…don’t forget the birds – seed varieties to keep them coming to your feeder.

Happy gardening!!

[written by Jaipaul Massey-Singh and Trevor Smith]

Organic coffee - Is it better than non-organic coffee for the planet and for you?

Green Cricket coffee is certified organic.  But what does that mean? Is organic coffee better for you than non-organic coffee?  Does it taste better? 

Some research suggests that drinking organic coffee is better for you. In addition to being rich in antioxidants (as is all coffee) organic coffee is free from chemical pesticides and fertilizers. (Conventionally grown coffee is one of the most chemically intensive crops in the world, commonly treated with endosulfan and chlorpyrifos, both highly toxic endocrine disrupters as well as diazinon, a substance that inhibits neural function.)

Drinking organic coffee is also socially responsible. Growing organic coffee is healthier for the farmers that tend to and harvest the crop, and the does not leach chemicals into the soil or local water supplies.  This results in reduced toxic impact on the whole community and wildlife (particularly birds).  Cultivating organic coffee is better for the environment. Organic famers use biological pest control, composting, terracing and intercropping, all good land stewardship practices.

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Quality plays a major role in any consumer goods organization. The traditional definition of quality as “fitness for use” takes on a new dimension in a company claiming to be “green”. Not only should the product ‘work’ but it should also meet other criteria important to our community and to the planet for sustainability. Consumers today are being bombarded by organizations claiming to be green, but we have all heard that sometimes these claims are, at best, not substantiated or, at worst, fraudulent.

Our aim at Green Cricket is to help consumers be confident about what they are purchasing and also provide information to help people make more informed buying decisions. When you purchase an item, it is at the end of its “supply chain” to you, the customer. Many things can impact the final product along the supply chain in its quality and integrity - raw materials, method of manufacture, packaging and transportation. Our aim is to be transparent and sell products that we have confidence in. We do this by scrutinizing the products and our suppliers against our Green Criteria and by keeping aware of increased understanding of environmental and health issues.

This blog is your opportunity to express your opinions and to ask questions to our ‘expert panel’ and to contribute to thoughts from other consumers.

We want to hear from you!