You may hear people talking about them as they walk through the meat aisle in your store.  Healthy eating calls for avoiding these “noxious chemicals” at all costs. The controversy, highlighted by CBC’s Marketplace, about nitrite preservatives in “Natural Selections” products caused some headaches for Maple Leaf.  These chemicals can form a cancer causing agent, nitrosamines, when they react with the proteins in your meats. …So, how do you avoid these ingredients?  In food, it is much easier.  Eat fresh and unprocessed foods whenever possible and you’ve taken a great first step to avoiding preservatives and choosing a healthier lifestyle.

The school year is almost over.  Don’t forget to thank the teacher who guided your children. They provided the greenest gift your child will ever receive, knowledge.

Not sure what to buy?  Most teachers are swimming in the coffee mug they received in years past.  If you want to find something original and more meaningful talk to your kids.  They may have heard the teacher talk about what they love to do away from school.  If your kids don’t know, Green Cricket  offers ten great green gift ideas to surprise the teacher in your child’s life.

1.  Personal basket of home-cooked meals. Why not make some of your specialties and package them up in a reusable box or basket? Everyone loves a homemade lasagna, baked pie or jams and jellies!

2. Books promoting outdoor activities and/or sustainable living. It could include hiking on local trails, camping, bird watching or greening a garden with water efficient plants.

3. Plants and/or gardening supplies so that they can produce their own local and sustainable food.  It is a great gift for the amateur gardeners out there.

4. Natural personal care products because so much of what we use becomes a part of us via our skin.  Your teachers can safely pamper themselves after a year of giving so much to their students.

5.  Solar or “people” powered gadgets. Give them something fun, exciting and good for the environment.

6. Give charitable gifts in your teacher’s honor. Whether it be to a local charity that supports environmental initiatives, an international organization that encourages sustainable living on a global scale, or a children’s charity.

7. Organically grown and fair trade coffee for a pick-me-up before all the early morning extra-curricular groups and teams they oversee.

8. Basket of environmentally friendly (and appropriately certified!) household products.  That way teachers can breathe easily knowing that they protecting the environment that their students will inherit.

9. Give a picture, poem, quote or craft to let your child show their teacher know just how much they mean. To make the gift more ‘green’ use recycled paper or be creative with bottles, cans and cardboard from your recycling bin.

10. Contact one of your old teachers. Let them know the important role they played in your life.  It will be a great reminder of their lasting impression.

What teachers appreciate most is the thought behind the gift .  A well thought out gift will remind them that despite moving on, students will carry the teacher’s lessons for the rest of their lives.

[Concept developed by Guest Blogger: Katrina Dudar, Edited by Green Cricket staff ]

Bio for Katrina:
As an avid environmentalist, Katrina is honoured to be contributing to
this wonderful space as a guest! Currently working at an environmental
education charity for children, Katrina spends her days trying to find
fun and innovative ways to inspire children to care about our planet and
to do small things everyday to make a positive difference. Some might
think this sounds challenging, but when you take the time to think about
just how impressionable young children are, her job instantly becomes
easier! As a mom to a youngster who has had his fair share of health
issues, she is happily forced to invest a significant amount of time
staying informed about emerging environmental issues and searching for
ways to minimize her own footprint while encouraging others around her
to do the same.

On the eve of Green Cricket’s first EcoLogo certification, we thought it would be a good idea to introduce loyal followers to what the EcoLogo certification means for them.

EcoLogo is  North America’s largest, most respected environmental standard and product certification mark, EcoLogo has established stringent standards for certain types of products, ensuring that only 20% of products in any of those product categories could meet the standards (http://www.environmentalchoice.com/en/criteria/).  In this way, they highlight the best of the best.
  Manufacturers can choose to submit their products for third party 
testing achieving EcoLogo certification if all the requirements are met.  
EcoLogo is one of several product certifications that are available to
 green products.  But as a consumer it’s important to be conscious of
 greenwashing, and be able to discern between fact and fiction on a
product label.

So what should you look for?  In a happy, green world, all products would be organic, biodegradable, derived from natural sources, have minimal packaging and be processed locally, for a start.  The challenge is that in an emerging market place, finding all of these characteristics in a single product is very challenging.  Most often you’re making tradeoffs, finding products that provide you with the best combinations.  For example – we still struggle to develop some ingredients organically and many products still contain some synthetic preservatives, because many natural ones just don’t work as well…yet.

Another challenge is how this information is communicated to consumers.
  There aren’t clear, universal definitions for many of the descriptions you’ll see on consumer products, and many manufacturers have taken some
pretty liberal interpretations of what a green product looks like.  Look for proof on their website, and check the ingredients as well.  Some
things that you’ll want to avoid include parabens, sodium lauryl
sulfate, fragrance, and propylene glycol.  Odds are good that a product that calls itself natural and but has nearly 100 ingredients, many of which you
can’t pronounce, probably isn’t all that natural (but that isn’t the only screen, nature makes some pretty crazy things too!).
  To ensure that your green products truly are green takes a little work –
 ensuring that your source is reputable is one step, and third party
certifications such as EcoLogo, or GreenSeal can be another.  Just be sure that the certification mark is legitimate…that’s another greenwashing trick - the seal that looks like a certification, but is really only a decoration.

Green Cricket chose to seek EcoLogo certification for their Foaming Hand Wash soap, because they were confident in the ingredients and manufacturing process, and that the product would sell in sufficient quantities to justify the costs of certification.  I am pleased to say that they did indeed receive EcoLogo certification, and the product will now bear the EcoLogo mark in the next production run. Congratulations Green Cricket!

[from guest student blogger* Adam Grzegorczyk]

The ski season in Canada is in full swing, boosted by some good snowfall in many places since the New Year. Skiing and snowboarding is such a breathtaking outdoor sport that it seems wrong not to be green when you hit the slopes. After all, if you are taking advantage of that great part of nature that includes snowy mountainous inclines in its design, why not lessen your impact while there? So what’s the best way of going green when on the slopes? Well it is probably something you consider anyway: where to go?

Ski resorts are caught in a classic catch-22, they generate huge amounts of emissions through snowmaking, grooming, moving people, and even getting to the resort itself, that they can often be the largest non-point source polluter in any given area. Yet it is those very emissions that may very well lead them to having no snow at all in a few decades (or years depending on who you want to listen to). You do still need snow to ski, right? So you can imagine that ski resorts have a natural incentive to go green. Not all resorts are viewing this in the same manner however.

The choice you must therefore make is to choose a resort that is proactive in its environmentally sustainable principles. Resorts all over North America and the world are choosing to use different initiatives to make their resorts more sustainable, while some resorts still chose to keep their heads in the snow. Those who decide to do something are initiating projects such as the building of wind turbines for power, the purchasing of carbon offsets, or the promotion of car-pooling initiatives all to lessen their impacts on climate change. Making a conscious choice to support resorts that practise these principles is a great first step in making sure that when you hit the slopes you do so in a responsible and educated manner.

Whistler, British Columbia for example has made commitments to conservation efforts that have cut electrical consumption by 18% in the last two years. The resort has also dedicated $320,000 to conservation initiatives this season alone and has cut more the 540 tonnes of waste produced this year.  For examples south of the border one has to look no further than Aspen, Colorado. Aspen has been an industry leader in sustainability for years.  Some of its most significant environmental initiatives include using biodiesel fuel in all of its snow grooming machines, and making snow with specks of dust to lessen the energy and water needed for production. They were also the first in the U.S. ski industry to offset 100 percent of its electrical use with renewable energies. These pioneering principles have led to over 45 other U.S. based resorts to follow Aspen’s lead.

The choice you are making is a choice you will have to make anyway. So why not choose a resort that practises sustainability principles and makes commitments to reducing its impact on the environment. Ask questions and do some research. Not only will you be able to cruise down those slopes with a lighter conscience, you’ll be doing all the other resorts who don’t a favour, because unless they want to get inline they won’t be around much longer.

A great site that recommends and highlights sustainable ski resorts can be found at www.OnTheSnow.com: Green Guide.

* We would like to welcome the Niagara College Bloggers! These students are in the second term of a 1 year post-graduate program in Environmental Management and Assessment at Niagara College. The students have diverse backgrounds and will be sharing their expertise in all things green.

[Student Profile: Adam Grzegorczyk is from Oakville, ON who has been snowboarding for the past 15 years. He has been lucky enough to be able to travel around the world snowboarding and been involved in multiple sustainability initiatives during his young environmental career]

Well, it’s that time of year where everyone’s focus turns to finding that perfect gift. Whether it be for a loved one, co-worker or child in your life, the desire to go green has picked up enormous momentum, and this has spilled over into everything we do, including shopping! With so many options and so many claims of green labels, it can be a bit overwhelming as you head to the stores. However, here are a few suggestions to help you in your search:

1 - The gift of time. Ever thought about offering to be someone’s babysitter so parents can enjoy a night out? How about helping with other chores - dog walking, snow shoveling or even visiting!

2 - Personal basket of home-cooked meals. Why not make some of your specialties and package them up in a reusable box or basket? Everyone loves a homemade lasagna, baked pie or jams and jellies!

3 - Gently used gift exchange. Pre-establish with friends and family a theme (ie. books) and have each person select an item from their own collection that they’d be willing to part with.

4 - Rain barrel for the avid gardener. Not only saves the water, but saves the home owner money as well – it’s a win win situation!

5 - Books promoting outdoor activities and/or sustainable living. Could include hiking on local trails, camping, bird watching or greening a garden with water efficient plants.

6 - Organic personal products. Because so much of what we use becomes a part of us via our skin, introduce someone to the benefits and pleasures of natural ingredients.

7 - Solar or “people” powered gadgets - whether it’s a phone charger or crank flashlight, the impact made by reducing energy use is worth the gesture!

8 - Charitable gift in someone’s honour. Whether it be to a local charity that supports environmental initiatives or an international organization that encourages sustainable living on a global scale, this is an ideal option for the person who has everything.

9 - Fair trade, organically grown coffee for that coffee lover on the list!

10 - Basket of environmentally friendly (and appropriately certified!) household products. This is a great way to introduce friends and family to the benefits of unbleached, recycled paper towels or the idea of beeswax candles!

Finding the right green gift for someone can be a challenge, but by doing even a small amount of research, you not only do your part for the planet, but your thoughtfully selected gift might just be the most unique thing they receive all season!

So…In summary:

a) Buy local. This minimizes the need for items to be shipped, thus reducing emissions.

b) Reduce packaging. Consider wrapping items in reused material, cloth gift bags or even sections of the comics from the newspaper!

c) Offer your services rather than a material gift.

d) Shop online as much as you can to reduce the need to travel to stores and shopping malls. Be sure to research, however, where the items are shipped from.

Happy shopping and have yourself a green Christmas! ……….From all the Green Cricket Staff

[written by Guest Blogger: Katrina Dudar]

Bio for Katrina:
As an avid environmentalist, Katrina is honoured to be contributing to
this wonderful space as a guest! Currently working at an environmental
education charity for children, Katrina spends her days trying to find
fun and innovative ways to inspire children to care about our planet and
to do small things everyday to make a positive difference. Some might
think this sounds challenging, but when you take the time to think about
just how impressionable young children are, her job instantly becomes
easier! As a mom to a youngster who has had his fair share of health
issues, she is happily forced to invest a significant amount of time
staying informed about emerging environmental issues and searching for
ways to minimize her own footprint while encouraging others around her
to do the same.

* Apple for teacher? There is a lot more than green apples to give at Green Cricket!

* Stumped for Green ideas for gifts at the end of the school term?

Then…Try our Top 10 Green Gifts that Teachers Love

…AND AT 10% off!

From: folding water bottles to ceramic cups; From: shampoo to bath soak; From: lunch bags to tote bags; From: bath soap to bath soak; From: coffee to beeswax candles…

Buy today while stocks last….

lunchbag - water bottle - bath and basin soap - beeswax candle - bath soak

shampoo/conditioner set - hand lotion - tote bag - i’m not a paper cup - coffee

“Biodegradable” has long been a staple of the green movement.  We know
to look for it on product labels because it’s good,  both in the
packaging and the product, but do we really understand what it means?

For the most part, no.  Unfortunately, it is one of the most commonly
abused greenwash terms, likely because there is no standardized
definition. Generally it means that the product will break down quickly
in nature to naturally occurring components with the help of the
existing bacteria.  But how quick is quickly?

Eco-Logo, the most prevalent environmental certification in Canada
requires that products or packaging be “readily biodegradable”.  They
specify a test for all products that measures how quickly a product
breaks down.  In general they are looking for at least 60-70% breakdown
within 14 days.

This test is going to screen out a lot of products.  Take plastic bags
for example.  Technically they do biodegrade - they break down in nature
– it just takes an estimated 1000 years to do it (we don’t know for sure
since plastic bags have only been around for 50 years…).  I don’t know
about you – but that’s not my idea of biodegradable.

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This year has been a challenging year to champion the need to take action on Climate Change.  It’s not that people don’t believe that it’s happening – Canada is currently out suntanning during our warmest, driest winter on record.  It’s that many people feel that if this is climate change – then they’re all for it.

Not everyone shares our enthusiasm…  If you headed to Florida, or even Cuba this spring break, you likely saw some uncharacteristically (and unwelcome) cold weather this year.  Herein lies the challenge of climate change – it makes for very unpredictable temperatures and weather patterns – and one heck of a time vacation planning.

So how do you pick a vacation destination?  If you’re green-minded, adding planet- friendly as a criterion can make this difficult job even more challenging.

So what actually constitutes an eco-friendly vacation?

1. Close to home – one of the biggest impacts of a vacation can be the air travel, so consider a “staycation” instead – where you explore options that are little more local.  Everyone has a place close by that they’ve always wanted to check out and just haven’t had time – even a moderate drive is much less harmful to the planet.
2. Consider a “Green Hotel” – the hotel industry has been quite slow to join the environmental movement, but through associations like Green Hotels you can choose accommodations that keep the planet in mind.
3. What about an Eco-Tour?  The EcoTour Directory considers an Eco-Tour to be “a trip that causes minimal impact to the environment and local people. The site is usually culturally and biologically diverse and attracts tourists who have a common interest in nature, wildlife and culture.”  But buyer beware. Many so-called eco-tours specialize in exploiting the very resources they are intended to protect.  Do your research carefully, and get good references.
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Written by Guest Blogger: Bridget Oland

We all know that swapping out old incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs(CFLs) is one painless way to reduce your annual power bill. (Lights account for about 5% of overall household power use). CFLs use 75 percent less energy than their incandescent counterparts and last up to 10 times longer. When you do the light bulb math each CFL bulb can prevent more than 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. And depending on electrical rates you could save about $80 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

If you’re going to make this worthwhile investment (and it is an investment, considering the cost) you’ll want to ensure each bulb lasts a good long time.

A friend was complaining recently that CFL bulbs in his home weren’t lasting nearly as long as they were supposed to. We were noticing the same thing so I did some research and discovered a few tips to help extend the life of your pricey bulbs:

• In fixtures on a dimmer switch use dimmable CFLs (should be stated on the packaging). Dimmers shorten the life of regular CFLs.
• CFLs are best in areas where they’re likely to be on for 15 minutes at a time or longer. Using them in places where they’ll be turned on and off frequently (like closets and bathrooms) will shorten their life.
• For totally enclosed fixtures buy bulbs that state clearly on that packaging that they’re designed for this use.
• If the bulb has been used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and still burns out early you may be eligible for a refund or a replacement. Energy Star certified bulbs carry at least a two-year warranty (covering manufacturer defects). The catch is that you need to save your receipts and contact the manufacturer directly.

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‘Tis the season when we look back on the year and make some commitments on going forward.  This year, why not include a little greening into your resolutions.  If you’re looking for suggestions, here are a few to get you started:

1) Ditch the plastic waterbottles.  If you are going to do just one thing to improve your ecological footprint, your best bang for your buck is to kick the bottled water habit.  Not only are you paying a ridiculous mark up on water, but you’re contributing billions of bottles to the planet, and all the associated greenhouse gases that come with them. Stainless steel waterbottles are reasonably priced and easy to find, and tap water is cheaper.  Save some money and the planet!

2) Go litterless at lunch.  Whether for you or the kids, its really no extra work to pack a few reusable containers instead of using plastic wrap or baggies.  One day, not a big day – 320 work days in a year – well that’s a lot of baggies in the landfill.  Consider a lunch kit – it makes packing kids lunches much easier.

3) Go green when you clean.  Our health tends to be the focus of most of our new year’s resolutions, so this is a good time to remember how closely the environment is tied to our health.  When we choosegreen cleaners for example, its not only better for the planet to choose a green cleaner, it’s also much healthier for you and your family.  Same goes for personal care products – the very same things that make a shampoo green make it easier on the body.

4) Drive lightly on the planet - We’ll explore how to save money on gas later - but you can get started simply by going lighter on the gas pedal.  Every 10 kilometres over the speed limit that you drive, costs you 10% more fuel to drive the same distance.  The two minutes that you save by speeding cost the planet and your pocketbook more than you think.

** Add your resolutions below – and check out the resolutions from my fellow Green Cricketers.

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