My favourite thing to do at the cottage can now be done guilt free!

Ever since I was kid I can remember jumping into the lake, lathering up with shampoo and conditioner and watching all the suds float around me. At the time I was completely oblivious about the damage I was doing to my giant swimming pool. As I grew up and cottagers like myself became more aware of the environment, we realized that the baths we were taking in the lake were totally polluting it. So, I was forced to go back to the traditional mode of cleansing in the shower.

But there’s good news for me and the rest of my friends up here this cottage season- we are back to the basics! Green Cricket’s new personal care line offers amazing, sudsy biodegradable shampoo & conditioner.  These products are definitely going to be a staple on my dock, as it should be for everyone that is going to enjoy the water this year.  If you are camping, boating or cottaging this year why wouldn’t you want to keep our lakes and rivers as clean as can be!

I am one of the many women that aren’t afraid to splurge when it comes to great hair. With this GC combo your hair will come out detangled, smooth and with a great glow. Promise!

You can find the shampoo and conditioner at several stores up north including the Chameleon in Bracebridge, Country Charm in Baysville, Pharmasave in Huntsville and a few more gems up here.

I can’t tell you enough about the benefits of using this line.  Give it a go for yourself this summer and dive-in!

Signed,

Your fellow cottager
Jamie Hitchon

As the father of a five-year-old the calendar is no longer divided by the twelve months or the four seasons but rather into two segments: school and camp. With the school year winding down, the past few weeks have been a flurry of registration for various sports, arts and outdoor activities to keep my little guy busy with each camp providing a list of articles to pack when we send him off. In addition to the usual items like trip t-shirts and bathing suits are a number of items that provide the opportunity to green his summer.

Sunscreen

While the importance of slathering on sunscreen (even on cloudy days) cannot be overstated, protecting your child from UV rays need not expose them to other risks. Avoid products with preservatives such as parabens, which have been linked to cancer or petroleum-based emollients such as mineral oils.  Look instead for products with milder preservatives like potassium sorbate and which contain natural softeners such as sunflower oil, jojoba oil and shea butter.

Insect Repellent

The active ingredient in most insect repellents is N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, commonly known as DEET. Identified as a contributor to seizures in a small percentage of the population, exposure to DEET may also cause skin irritation, moodiness, impaired cognitive function and insomnia. Non-toxic alternatives to DEET include eucalyptus and citronella oils, both of which have been documented to be effective in repelling insects, particularly mosquitoes.

Water Bottle

Keeping hydrated while active in the sun is critical for fun at camp. Instead of sending water and juices in disposable containers that add to waste or plastic bottles which may contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a potentially toxic additive found in many plastics, make use of an aluminum, or better yet, stainless steel bottle to reduce both what ends up in the trash and the amount of toxins in your child’s body.

For those with older children, overnight camps offer even more opportunities to be environmentally responsible, whether it be through biodegradable toiletries that lessen their impact on the lake, organic towels and wash cloths or recycled stationary your kids can use to keep in touch.  Summer always seems to go by so quickly, make sure your kids get the most out of their camp experience by keeping them green!

Carbon taxes and credits are tools to correct our economic systems and prices so that they more accurately reflect the reality of our finite planet.

Our current pricing system does not take into account the way that our business and industries affect the water, soil, plant and animal life, and the biosphere, which supports all life on Earth. When prices are set by buyers and sellers, the market just assumes that we have unlimited resources that we can draw on to expand. This is because up until very recently, economists did not imagine that we would become so populous that our industrial systems would put a real stress on the planet’s resources.

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You are probably asking “What are we doing here?”. Through the many late nights that our team at Green Cricket has endured getting to this point, we’ve all asked ourselves that same question many times.

Timing is important in business, but so is doing the right thing. At the time that I was thinking about a “green emporium” earlier this year, I was motivated by the desire to get the right information to the consumer in a marketplace where many of my friends expressed frustration over the amount of research needed to “shop well” for their children and husbands, AND help the planet all at the same time! Who has time to do it?

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