Toronto’s Mayor Ford hasn’t been the biggest supporter of cycling in the city. During his time in office there has been a net removal of bike lanes in the city. He’s also said some pretty nasty things about cyclists; calling them a “pain in the ass” to motorists and claiming that it’s their own fault if they …
As another October comes to a close, many of us will find ourselves viewing the world through rose coloured lenses as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month brings an explosion of pink everything - from ribbons and bracelets to blenders and frying pans. And while we’ve all heard about the problems with greenwashing (explored in my earlier article …
I bike everywhere in the city. I strap on my helmet and birkenstocks and head for the streets. But sometimes I like to look a little more ‘put together’ than usual. In the post Bike Love I talked about the wide range of biking benefits. There’s the obvious fact that bikes don’t release greenhouse gas emissions …
I may be a dedicated zero waste advocate, but just like everyone else I have guilty pleasures and moments of weakness. Currently I’m suffering from a serious case of iGuilt. Although I have a perfectly good mobile phone, I wasn’t strong enough to resist the offer of a brand new free iphone from a service …
Just like 80% of Toronto’s population I’ve got an Ikea Malm dresser. It has that stylish minimalist design that was perfectly hip and an irresistible price tag that made it affordable to own a grown-up matching bedroom set. Unfortunately, the love affair with my dresser hasn’t lasted long. The drawers fall off the runners all the time, it wobbles …
Waste is one of those words that is so widely used we often forget to question what it really means. It may only be five letters long but it’s a big word. It can be used as a verb, noun or adjective to refer to a substance or object, thoughtlessness, a missed opportunity or inefficiency. … Continue reading »
As a cyclist in Toronto, the very fact that a bike lane exists on any given street is cause for celebration. But since the majority of our precious lanes are not separated, these lanes also often serve as parking spots for delivery trucks, city service vehicles and anyone else who needs to make a pit stop. This isn’t … Continue reading »
In today’s visual media focused society what better way to learn about environmental issues than through film? Luckily the Planet in Focus film festival has got us covered! This week from October 10-14, 2012 Canada’s largest environmental film festival hits the theatres of Toronto. This year’s festival features some great environmental classics like Manufactured Landscapes, a stark and … Continue reading »
Since 2006, the Nuit Blanche (white night) art festival has transformed Toronto into an urban playground and sensory feast for one full night, from dusk to dawn. Originally started in 1984 in France, Nuit Blanche is now held in cities around the world. Art and interactive installations are set all around the city and there’s always something spectacular. At Toronto’s … Continue reading »
With most products now claiming some sort of green claim to fame it’s important to distinguish real benefits from the marketing ploys. To this point, this great little info-graphic below explains the various types of greenwashing and provides some interesting statistics. Green claims are big business as this graphic suggests that 9 out of 10 shoppers … Continue reading »
Just a quick update to announce that my next upcoming speaking engagement will be at the Wide World of Waste in Jasper, Alberta, Canada. The conference is being held October 3-5 and is hosted by the Recycling Council of Alberta. I’ll be presenting my research on what zero waste means as a theoretical concept compared … Continue reading »
So I’ve clearly got a love/hate thing going on with Ikea. You’ll remember that I commended the Swedish giant for offering one of the original ‘classy’ food court experiences with real cutlery, glasses and dishes instead of disposables. Then I changed face and accused Ikea of facilitating unnecessary consumption with its shoddy furniture that values style over quality and durability. After … Continue reading »
Yesterday’s Landfill Lunch post about disposable packaging in the take-away food industry reminded me of this clever poster which articulates the backwards thinking of our throw-away society. When you think about all the resources and effort that goes into creating our ‘disposable’ goods it becomes clear that zero waste really is just common sense with a … Continue reading »
Lunch today was delicious – chicken pesto sandwich with pasta salad and a big fat pickle. But there was lots of other stuff that came with my lunch today that wasn’t delicious – or even edible. Since I took my lunch ‘to go’ it came with a paper bag, wax paper for the sandwich, two … Continue reading »
The United Nations recently declared a Zero Hunger challenge, inviting “all countries to work towards a future where every individual has adequate nutrition and where all food systems are resilient.” Being hungry – truly hungry – is something that I’ve never experienced. The same is likely also true for most people reading this post. Sure there are several instances … Continue reading »
