Thursday, August 13, 2009

Green Collection

By Joanie Bergeron Poudrier

Stella McCartney, a lifelong vegetarian, has proven her love for animals by promising not to use any fur or leather to create her clothing collections. Not many well-known designers would agree to do the same, to restrain their choice of clothing fabrics for the sake of animals. But she’s doing it, and she’s proud of it!

Her belief is reflected on her website where she dedicated a “green” area to her new capsule collection utilizing only organic materials. Her seasonal collection is a unique project which shows special designs and alternative textile.

She is also a supporter of more than 10 charities, including -of course! - pro animals’ organizations but also, NGOs in favor of ocean and children.


To show she’s a real eco-trouper she even gives us 17 ECO TIPS for a sustainable lifestyle.

Here are 3 of her most useful suggestions:
















Source:www.stellamccartney.com

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Today’s Green Tip from the Sierra Club: No Need for Speed

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

We know, we know: It's better to take public transit, or to walk or bike, than to drive. But for those times when driving simply can't be avoided, recall this week’s tips about ways to minimize your vehicle’s impact on the planet.

Tip #2: No Need for Speed

Not only does aggressive driving aggravate others: it also wastes gas. To prevent excess pollution (and to preserve others’ positive moods), drive within the speed limit, accelerate and brake gradually, and use cruise control on highways. Driving in a too-fast, herky-jerky way can lower gas mileage by 33 percent. Plus, your zen-like lack of road rage will clear the streets of psychological pollution too.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Today’s Green Tip from the Sierra Club: minimize your vehicle’s impact on the planet.

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

We know, we know: It's better to take public transit, or to walk or bike, than to drive. But for those times when driving simply can't be avoided, recall this week’s tips about ways to minimize your vehicle’s impact on the planet.

Tip #1: Shed Pounds

A free, easy way to reduce fuel use -- and cost -- is to make sure your car's not carrying any extra weight. Haven’t cleared out that trunk or back seat in a while? It’s time: Carting around an extra 100 pounds can reduce MPG by 2 percent. If you've got a roof rack, consider removing it or storing gear in the car instead to reduce drag.

Photo Credits: Aleksi Aaltonen's on Flickr.com

Friday, August 07, 2009

Planning a Low-Impact Move

Ah the inter-city move; how I’ve nearly perfected you…

This past weekend, I successfully transplanted my life 3.5 kilometres away. This time the reason was not temporary or frivolous, but because I bought my own loft. A shoebox maybe, but a charming one in the heart of the city.

I realized that in five years, this is my fourth address in Toronto. So you could say that I’m getting used to moving and I’ve learned a few things along the way. One of the things I’ve gotten better at is reducing the environmental impact of my move (and the price tag) in these main areas:

Location

What’s the most important thing in real estate? Location, location, location! If you are moving within a city, take into consideration how close your new home is to where you work and play. Equally important is how close you are to parks and grocery stores and restaurants.

Home furnishings and décor

Start by thinking about the things you want to sell, give away or acquire. I practically lived on craigslist to find all the vintage furniture I was looking for.

Read full article on www.simplegreenaction.ca

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Doing the right thing for whales

By David Suzuki with Faisal Moola

The few North Atlantic right whales left in the world visit the waters off Canada’s East Coast every summer and fall. They’re big animals, weighing up to 80 tonnes and measuring up to 18 metres. But even though the whales enjoy prolonged multi-partner mating and the males have the biggest cojones in the animal kingdom, they’re slow breeders and haven’t been able to increase their numbers much above 400 for some time.

Their name was bestowed on them by early whalers, who considered them the “right” whale to hunt because they are large, swim slowly and often close to shore, and usually float when they are killed. Although people haven’t hunted them since 1935, we’re still putting them in danger from collisions with ships or entanglement in fishing gear in the busy waters off the U.S. and Canada.

These factors have made this giant mammal one of the most endangered whales in Canada. But there has been some recent good news for the North Atlantic right whale. The federal government released its final recovery strategy for the whales in June, and it includes identification of the whale’s critical habitat.

Critical habitat refers to areas necessary for a plant or animal species to survive or recover. Under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, once an endangered species’ critical habitat has been identified in a recovery strategy, the government must legally protect it if it falls within federal jurisdiction, as oceans do.

In the case of the right whale, the government has 180 days from the release of its strategy to protect habitat features necessary for recovery. This means ensuring the whales have a functioning ecosystem that supports their primary needs and that they are protected from collisions with ships and entanglements in fishing gear.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s original proposed recovery strategy in January did not identify the Roseway Basin, an area 48 kilometres south of Nova Scotia, as critical habitat. But the David Suzuki Foundation, with advice from Ecojustice, argued that the Roseway Basin and Grand Manan Basin must be included. The revised recovery strategy reflected this advice by adding the Roseway Basin to the critical habitat identification.

It’s great that the government has moved to protect the habitat of these magnificent mammals, but more needs to be done if our Species at Risk Act is to be effective. A report card issued in April by conservation groups including the David Suzuki Foundation showed that few of the 449 species listed under the act are receiving adequate protection, especially where there might be competing interests.

The Banff Springs snail, which lives in the already protected Banff National Park, is the only species to get an action plan in the act’s six-year history. Meanwhile, numerous species like the boreal woodland caribou, northern spotted owl, and polar bear continue to disappear with no protection of their critical habitat under the act.

Habitat loss and degradation are the primary causes of decline for 84 per cent of Canada’s species at risk. We can’t expect a plant or animal to survive or recover if it doesn’t have a healthy place to live.

Of course, governments often find it difficult to put the needs of plants and animals above competing human interests. Protecting critical habitat often means that industrial activities such as logging and mining must be halted or practices significantly improved in areas critical to species’ survival. But we often fail to realize that the consequences – both ecological and economic – of losing species and the functioning ecosystems upon which they depend are more severe than the consequences of altering or halting industrial activity within that habitat.

When a species disappears, it affects entire ecosystems. The species may be important as a food source for other animals, or for maintaining the pH of the forest floor, or it may be a predator that keeps other species populations from expanding too rapidly. Functioning ecosystems are far more complex than we realize. Damaging ecosystems that bring us services such as carbon sequestration and storage, pollination, nutrient cycling, and water and air purification tampers with the composition of the natural systems that support wildlife and humans alike.

Some of Canada’s at-risk species don’t have a lot of time left. We must view the protection strategy for these whales as an example to follow for protecting other endangered species – for their sake and ours.

Take David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge and learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org

Whale Photo © www.freenaturepictures.com
Banff Spring Snail Photo © Mark and Leslie Degner www.markandlesliedegner.com

Heath Ledger’s highly anticipated Modest Mouse music video now released!

The awaited Modest Mouse video directed by Heath Ledger was finally released today.

“In January of 2007, while visiting his homeland of Australia, Heath Ledger presented Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse with an idea to direct a video for their yet-to-be-released song “King Rat”. Heath’s vision, brave and unapologetic in its nature, would marry his love of bold and original music with his impassioned stance against the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place off the coast of Australia each year.”

With this video, Heath wanted to raise awareness about a cause he believed in deeply without having to say a word. It surely works very well! Watch carefully the last part of the video when the whales are taking off the skin of those humans they just harpooned, if this doesn’t gives you chills, I don’t know what will!

“The video was fully conceived down to the last detail but unfinished when Heath passed away in January of 2008. We completed the video in his honor with the support and advocacy of Isaac Brock.”, we could read on The Masses website.

If you want to make a good action download the video from iTunes. All proceeds from iTunes video downloads (in the first month of release) will go toward Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization committed to ending the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.

Watch “King Rat” video now !

Did you know that Ledger also directed other music videos? Well he did! He directed Ben Harper’s amazing “Morning Yearning” video.

Watch all the videos directed by the late actor.

Source :www.wearethemasses.com

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Re:modern THE next generation of design!

Re:modern is a retailer of furniture, home accessories and unique gifts whose motto is to encourage green practices as an everyday given, not a luxury. Re-modern.com combines the Modern Design with the Green Revolution movements by merging the aesthetic sensibility of Modernism with the resource awareness of environmentalism.

Here are some amazing items from their collections.

Silicone Doilies

Remember those white paper doilies we used to cut out to make snowflake at school? Here is the new versatile and eco-friendly generation of doilies. These stain-resistant decorative mats are reusable as a surface protector, giant coaster, or traditional doily. What we like about them? They’re made of food-safe silicone. Plus, they help you save trees and can revamp any table in the blink of an eye.


I Am Not Your typical Doormat

This original mat welcomes guest with a little humor and foremost it gives a second life to a big pollutant: old tires. It is made entirely from 100% recycled truck tires with durable nylon flocking. It is washable, durable, and suitable for indoors or out. Designed by Rebecca Chitty.

Recycled Typewriter Keys Cufflinks or Bracelet

Now with the computer era, typewriter machines are obsoletes, so what should we do with all those old machines left in our basement? Re-modern.com found a function for the computer ancestor: The original recycled typewriter jewelry is here. Choose your letter for a monogram that's one-of-a-kind. Made with genuine, vintage typewriter keys set in stainless steel fittings.

For price and availability visit www.re-modern.com

Monday, August 03, 2009

After coffee and chocolate, towns are now fair trade too!

TransFair Canada* launched the new «Fair Trade Towns» campaign for communities to support Fair Trade at the local level. The campaign increases availability and awareness of Fair Trade Certified.

At the moment 6 Canadian towns are Fair Trade Certified:

Wolfville, NS (April 17, 2007)
La Pêche, QC (November 9, 2007)
Port Colborne, ON (April 28, 2009)
Nakusp, BC (April 29, 2009)
Golden, BC (June 8, 2009)
Gimli, MB (July 1, 2009)

To become a Fair Trade Town, a community must achieve the following 6 goals....

1.The local council uses Fair Trade Certified products and supports the Fair Trade Towns campaign
2.Stores & restaurants serve Fair Trade Certified products
3.Workplaces, faith groups, & schools use and promote Fair Trade Certified products
4.Public awareness events and media coverage held on Fair Trade and the campaign
5.A steering group created for continued commitment
6.Other ethical and sustainable initiatives promoted within the community

For all the details on becoming a fair trade town have a look at the Fair Trade Towns Action Guide.

Fair Trade Towns in progress:

Olds, AB
Cranbrook, BC
Creston, BC
Kimberley, BC
Revelstoke, BC
St. John's, NF
Barrie, ON
Centre Wellington, ON
Windsor, ON
Quebec City, QC
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC
Montreal, QC

*TransFair Canada is a national non-profit certification and public education organization promoting Fair Trade Certified to improve the livelihood of developing world farmers and workers.

Photo: Fair Trade Fair Wakefield May 2009
Photo Credits: Beanfair.ca