10 things you’re doing/will do for the environment

Feeling inspired, I’d like to start a meme on what actions you’re taking, or planning to take (a pledge!) to help the environment. This is a broad-reaching scope, and encompasses anything and everything: choosing organic food, taking transit, composting, donating to an environmental organization, recycling unwanted goods, installing solar panels, or even just educating yourself on issues and solutions. Is there a particular action that tops your list? Or one you’ve been eager to try?

For brevity’s sake we’ll keep the list to 10 items. You can divide it up between “doing” and “intend to do” in whatever ratio you like.

So here’s my list, in no particular order:

Right now, I:

1. Eat local

2. Use cloth bags and compostable plastic bags

3. Advocate for revival of the Interurban community rail

4. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

5. Use strictly natural cosmetics and soaps, with recyclable packaging and no chemicals

6. Use strictly natural cleaners (baking soda, vinegar, water, the occasional lemon)

7. Use a reusable stainless steel water bottle

I will:

8. Reduce waste by switching to Lunapads products (they’re local!) — immediately

9. Live in a walkable neighbourhood with frequent, accessible transit — 2 to 3 years’ time

10. Buy a cradle-to-cradle, toxic-free sofa made from natural materials — 2 to 3 years’ time

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EPIC – Sustainable living expo

On Saturday, I went to the EPIC expo at Canada Place. The main attraction for me was a talk by Adria Vasil, author of a best-selling book I adore called Ecoholic. In her inspiring presentation, she gave us a history behind the book’s development and noted how the green movement was virtually non-existent when she started her column in 2004. Organizers of EPIC apparently wanted to put on this event back then but there was deemed to be a lack of interest in green issues.

Adria offered some great advice and encouragement for greening one’s lifestyle: choose three things every month and do them. No matter how good you are already, you can do even better. My three things? I decided to no longer buy greenhouse-grown produce, I switched to compostable plastic bags for my garbage and replaced some of my soap with a locally-made, more natural product (and it smells divine, too!) Adria emphasized the importance of individual actions and how even little things add up. Case in point: the government’s new green product claims regulation is consumer complaint-driven, meaning it’s up to us to call in and report on products that (we think) are making false claims. So things are looking up, anyway. Adria is very lovely and was happy to sign my Ecojot notebook (I had not brought my copy of Ecoholic).

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