GREEN INFO
5 Popular Green Myths
Myth No. 1: Small changes don't matter.
Recent numbers demonstrate that a few smarter buying decisions translate to big changes in the planet. When you buy household paper goods (like paper towels, napkins and toilet paper), look for products that use high percentages of recycled or post-consumer waste.
Note: If everyone in the country chose to buy just one package of 100% recycled napkins instead of the non-recycled variety, that act alone would save 1 million trees.
Myth No. 2: 'Green' choices are painful and expensive.
How would you like to save $50.00 this year with a few simple clicks of your computer mouse? You could if you turn off your screen saver. Instead, select the "sleep" or "hibernation" mode for periods of inactivity. Screen savers, which were created for old-style CRT monitors, are relics of a bygone era. The constantly changing pictures kept images from getting burned into the screen. Today most people are using LCD monitors which don't run the risk of burned-in images.
A single fast food order of a hamburger, fries and soda takes 1,500 gallons of water to make - including the water needed to grow potatoes, the grain for the bun and the cattle and everything for the soda.
While some greener options (like some organic products), do cost more, others (like turning out lights, using water-saving faucets and keeping the thermostat at a reasonable temperature) are money-smart strategies, too.
Myth No. 3: Keeping old appliances is a form of recycling.
Partially true, you're not clogging up the landfills, but keeping old appliances aren't necessarily the greenest choice either.
If you've still got an avocado green fridge from the 1970s, you're using 70% more power than you would with a new model. New appliances do a lot more without requiring more power. If your old appliance is more than 10 to 15 years old, you can probably cut significant energy use by replacing it with the new Energy Star ones. And because many retailers will take your old appliances and recycle them, you don't have to worry that they will be lying in a landfill for hundreds of years. Also, be sure check for government rebates when purchasing to save even more "green" in your wallet.
Myth No. 4: Eco-friendly grocery options are expensive. Not every green choice has to cost you extra money. Buying locally grown produce is a good example. Locally grown produce usually grown within 100kms saves transportation and fuel costs, along with carbon. For that reason they are often less expensive and because they typically get to ripen longer they are tastier, too. What's more, many smaller local growers don't use many, if any, pesticides, herbicides or artificial ripening agents, keeping petrochemicals out of the soil and reducing crude-oil usage even more.
Myth No. 5: If an appliance is off, it's not using power.
Approximately 10% of your hydro bill goes to run appliances or equipment that you've already turned off. Don't feel like plugging and unplugging every time you want to use the computer? Use a pow er strip. (Just beware of overloading too many things on the same one.) That way, when you're not using the item, flip the switch on the strip, and you'll know that "off" is really "off."
Recent numbers demonstrate that a few smarter buying decisions translate to big changes in the planet. When you buy household paper goods (like paper towels, napkins and toilet paper), look for products that use high percentages of recycled or post-consumer waste.
Note: If everyone in the country chose to buy just one package of 100% recycled napkins instead of the non-recycled variety, that act alone would save 1 million trees.
Myth No. 2: 'Green' choices are painful and expensive.
How would you like to save $50.00 this year with a few simple clicks of your computer mouse? You could if you turn off your screen saver. Instead, select the "sleep" or "hibernation" mode for periods of inactivity. Screen savers, which were created for old-style CRT monitors, are relics of a bygone era. The constantly changing pictures kept images from getting burned into the screen. Today most people are using LCD monitors which don't run the risk of burned-in images.
A single fast food order of a hamburger, fries and soda takes 1,500 gallons of water to make - including the water needed to grow potatoes, the grain for the bun and the cattle and everything for the soda.
While some greener options (like some organic products), do cost more, others (like turning out lights, using water-saving faucets and keeping the thermostat at a reasonable temperature) are money-smart strategies, too.
Myth No. 3: Keeping old appliances is a form of recycling.
Partially true, you're not clogging up the landfills, but keeping old appliances aren't necessarily the greenest choice either.
If you've still got an avocado green fridge from the 1970s, you're using 70% more power than you would with a new model. New appliances do a lot more without requiring more power. If your old appliance is more than 10 to 15 years old, you can probably cut significant energy use by replacing it with the new Energy Star ones. And because many retailers will take your old appliances and recycle them, you don't have to worry that they will be lying in a landfill for hundreds of years. Also, be sure check for government rebates when purchasing to save even more "green" in your wallet.
Myth No. 4: Eco-friendly grocery options are expensive. Not every green choice has to cost you extra money. Buying locally grown produce is a good example. Locally grown produce usually grown within 100kms saves transportation and fuel costs, along with carbon. For that reason they are often less expensive and because they typically get to ripen longer they are tastier, too. What's more, many smaller local growers don't use many, if any, pesticides, herbicides or artificial ripening agents, keeping petrochemicals out of the soil and reducing crude-oil usage even more.
Myth No. 5: If an appliance is off, it's not using power.
Approximately 10% of your hydro bill goes to run appliances or equipment that you've already turned off. Don't feel like plugging and unplugging every time you want to use the computer? Use a pow er strip. (Just beware of overloading too many things on the same one.) That way, when you're not using the item, flip the switch on the strip, and you'll know that "off" is really "off."
Green Shopping Tips
All stores in Toronto are now charging 5 cents for every plastic shopping bag provided. Many major grocery stores and retailers in the GTA and other areas are also charging 5 cents for their plastic bags.
Refer to our 3 helpful shopping tips on how to save yourself money and our planet one plastic bag at a time!
All stores in Toronto are now charging 5 cents for every plastic shopping bag provided. Many major grocery stores and retailers in the GTA and other areas are also charging 5 cents for their plastic bags.
Refer to our 3 helpful shopping tips on how to save yourself money and our planet one plastic bag at a time!
1. Bring reusable bags for shopping. Most grocery stores and some other stores now sell reusable bags for as low as 99 cents each. Keep them in your trunk or on your front seat so they are always handy.2. Buy and carry one of those ultra compact light mesh or nylon bags with you. They easily fit into your laptop case, purse or tote bag.
3. Use paper bags or re-use your old plastic bags for purchases. Just remember to keep them handy!
