What can all of us do to help our planet

Good news from Ontario on Earth Day
New legislation to weed out lawn and garden pesticides will protect environment and health

April 22, 2008 OTTAWA – Measures announced today in Ontario will raise the bar on provincial pesticide policy, says the David Suzuki Foundation. Details of the Ontario government’s plan to ban lawn and garden pesticides were released this morning.

“It is encouraging that the Ontario government is moving swiftly to minimize this needless source of chemical exposures,” says Lisa Gue, environmental health policy analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation.

Legislation to be introduced in the Ontario legislature this afternoon provides for a province-wide ban on the sale and use of hundreds of pesticides – toxic chemicals that pose health and environmental risks. The government intends to implement the ban in 2009.

“Legislation to prohibit the sale of these products, as well as their use, signals the government is serious about banning cosmetic pesticides,” says Ms. Gue.

Today’s announcement marks an important step in the legislative process. The government bill is expected to pass and regulations will then be developed. Some significant issues remain to be addressed in the regulatory package. The David Suzuki Foundation urges the government to follow through on commitments made today with strong regulations. Timely public education about the ban will also be necessary to promote a smooth transition to non-toxic gardening techniques.

Last month, the Foundation and Équiterre (a leading environmental group in Quebec), released an analysis of a similar policy already in place in Quebec. The report assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the Quebec regulation. Key recommendations for Ontario and other provinces considering bans on cosmetic pesticides included:
• structuring the ban with reference to a “white list” of products authorized for sale and use, and prohibited the use and sale of all other cosmetic pesticides;
• extending the ban to all cosmetic uses of pesticides, province-wide; and,
• developing a thorough and effective enforcement program.

“Ontario appears poised to set a new standard for regulating cosmetic pesticide use to protect human health and the environment. Other provinces should take note and follow suit,” Ms. Gue concluded.

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Pesticides and all those chemicals, I can't stand them. One year a few years ago, my grandfather got a load of leaves from someone who used pesticides on their lawn and it ended up killing the plants he was trying to protect Confused

hows that for irony

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

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	^ Excellant Lara. I try to think of all the things ineed to pick up on my outings. But dang, some times ive gottin home and 20 minutes later i realize i forgot something ! ...

LMBO..Dave I've done the samething when going to the grocery store ... Rolling Eyes

Canvas bags are a great idea Linsleyk Cool

I agree with mtwolfsbane.

Hey, you want to see something really cool. (video) Very Happy

eric

I think if we all do little things in our daily lives, that's what adds up in the long run. Mtwolf had some valid points, right now "going Green" is the new thing, but like anything, there are fanatics and the people who ruin it for the rest of us. However, mostly it's getting the word out for people to be conscious of what they do.

I've lived 'green' for years and years. I don't use the plastic shopping bags and instead us canvas. I use environmentally friendly cleaners (plus make my own, vinegar is a wonderful thing to clean with). I grow my own herbs and veggies and if not, buy locally and organic. I shop in the outside of the store, where the food is fresh and healthy, not in the inside isles where it's all packaged to extreme measures that I consider ridiculous - not to mention that boxed food is full of crap that isn't good for you anyway. Heck, even with our new dog we use biodegradable bags for his poop, costs more than just getting plastic bags at the grocery store when we shop of course, but again, whatever we can do for the environment.

Other things we do are turn lights off when we leave a room, even for a few seconds. We don’t run our dishwasher all the time and when we do, it's as full as we can make it. I wash our clothes in cold water, and hang to dry (except towels). We use phosphate free detergent too. We don't use soaps or lotions that contain petroleum. Even my deodorant is environmentally friendly and contains no aluminum (which your body can't absorb and it's been linked to breast cancer in both men and women.)

I could go on and on about it really, like I said, I’ve been living this way for a long time.

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Well said Steph. I am in no way pushing anything on anyone here. Just positive post.
There are pros & cons to everything we do. But getting the word out about watching more closely what we buy how we dispose of it etc is a great start. Going Green is new, & alot of people just say it a joke & tare it apart.
Fine what ever, everyone has the right to voice themselfs & explain there insite on it, its only fare.
But i choose to be possitive about it all & in the end there is alot of things we can do to Improve are planet & clean it up. Cheers Cool

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Dave,
It may surprise you, but I do support your efforts to bring good ideas for conservation to the forefront.

The basic tennant of the survival ideaology is to make do with the least amount of supplies and the maximum efficency. Choosing items that have multiple uses, and can be used over and over.

Minimize waste, and leave no footprints. I have always liked the old Quaker proverb:

Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without.

These were folks that made everything they used by hand and were entirely self sufficent in their lives.

My post was not to tear down environmental consiousnes or to belittle folks who are willing to go the extra mile in their lives to do what is best for themselves and the world. I see the folks on this board as good people with an appreciation for all things, and I just don't want them to be ripped off by the "green" movement that is so prevelent these days.

Belive me, I have probably lived as "green" as anybody could, barely one step above someone living in the stone age for most of my life.
I got my degree as I saw the power supply monopolies as an enemy ripping off the general public. Most are, but they do operate within the laws set up by our respective governments.

I appreicate your efforts on this board, and in my work to develop more efficent power sources, the backing of people like you is a real driving force. I am far more posative than my earlier post may have implied, because I see a problem and work to fix it.

I just don't want the cure to be worse than the disease! Smile

Your earlier link to the Yellow Taxi song is all too real for me. I was raised in the Gallatin Valley in Montana. A more beautiful place you won't find anywhere in the world. That beauty has been it's downfall as people move in, and now the only crops grown there are housing developments. It is like watching a beautiful woman you loved slowly dying of cancer.

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All gave some, Some gave all.

Its all good Wolfsbane Cool

There was no direction to you at all. I was talking of the negative people.
Some people are just all negative, about everything !? ive met people that just b i t c h and complain all the time about what ever is talked about. In a nut shell, i dont like negative people. There is enufe bad in this world to last out our lives and the kids. So i just avoid people like that Cool

I do like the old school ways, & how things where done, but in todays world everything has to done yesterday Confused

I really think i was born in the wrong century Laughing

im glad we share the same thoughts;
> Use it up
>Wear it out
> Make it do
> Or do without

Everyone in this Forum are good people and positive & for the most part give a dang about Things such as helping out with keeping our blue marble Blue Smile

Cheers

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Last edited by Drummer Dave on Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:11 pm; edited 1 time in total

Great topic Dave,

Personally I have changed all my bulbs to compacts (about 2 years ago now) and we have a much small electricity bill.

New Dryer and Washing machine by Samsung, very efficent. we only use the dryer a little bit but mostly we use a clothsline.

We added a woodstove into our house, dont ever use the furnace. The exaust is wrapped with copper tubes so that we warm our water at the same time.

I opened a new company that installs solar water heating systems. Cool

We scrapped our AC, and got a few single, efficnt units. We only cool the rooms we need and when there are people in it. The bill barley sees the hit. Cool

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"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

yeah I was informed by my Professors (I am becoming and Electrician) that Canada and Europe have officially stopped production of Incandescent bulbs and as soon as the stocks are gone, only fluorescent bulbs will be legal to be purchased. I think this is great. I know that there are many heavy metals in the bulbs, but there are also versions that have reduced quantities. And Incandescent bulbs aren't all that healthy for the environment either. In fact, CFL's reduce the carbon footprint of an average home by 10 % and due to our coal burning energy plants which actually release Mercury as well, they reduce the Mercury release into the atmosphere. Do the bulbs pose a health risk? Yes they do, but if you are careful with them and dispose of them properly (recycling should be getting easier soon) they help considerably. Oh and many producers are trying to reduce the amount of mercury down to 2 milligrams from the now 4 milligrams. Just to give an idea, the mercury thermometers that used to be used had about 50 milligrams and many thermostats still have mercury switches in them.

And I do agree with Mtwolfsbane, this is not something that should get blown out of proportion, going green is important, but it isn't something that needs to be a drastic change. Just turning down your thermostat and turning off lights when you aren't in a room will help. Riding a bike to close places or canvas shopping bags are another great way to start.

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

	TrooperMax wrote:
	I opened a new company that installs solar water heating systems.

I heard the water heater is the thing that uses the most energy in your home. Shocked

Over at the MEPS they use waterless urinals. Anyone ever see them? Your pee just shoots off the surface. Wink

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Hmmm...I'd probably have a hard time using one of those. Laughing

Yes, water heaters do gobble up energy. They're making new and improved, energy efficient heaters all the time now. One I saw on one of those HGTV shows (I think Holmes on Homes), there are new water heaters that save the hot water that's been heated, so when you turn on the hot water tap for say a shower or to do dishes, your whole heater isn't kicking on to heat up water. I'm not explaining it well, but it looked awesome. No doubt costs a small fortune though.

One thing I am noticing though about "going Green" these days is the overall drop in prices. Even a few years ago a lot of that stuff was expensive because it wasn't very mainstream. The more consumers who buy products like that, the more prices go down.

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I am just starting to earth friendly cleaning supply's. Very Happy

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I just heard something big crackï¿½.. holy crap!-Les Stroud

2 years ago my dad thought of an idea to heat the water before it enters the boiler. He did this by wrapping our woodstove exaust pipe with copper pipe and running water through it before it got to the water heater. We use this in the winter, works great, saves about $60 -$80 per month. We disasembed it so I dont have a picture but once we make a newer model i'll make some pictures of our systems

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"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

You can make your own cleaners too. White vinegar, lemon, baking soda, borax...all those work very well. We use a 50/50 water to vinegar ratio for cleaning the rabbit cage and it works like a charm. One of my favorite cleaners you can get in the stores is called Simple Green. I've been using that for at least a decade, it's funny seeing commericals for it now.

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I just thought of another thing I do that has a huge impact on our electric bill. In the summer, I plant morning glories so they grow to cover our front windows. We face south, which means we get full sun all day (no shade trees out there). It gets broiling in here, so doing that provides much needed shade for our living room/dining room.

What I did is plant a garden outside that area (that's where I grow my cooking herbs and veggies, with some other flowers I like), drive tent stakes down every foot or so, string up fishing wire so it goes from the ground to above the windows (tapped in some small nails a foot apart). Plant my seeds and let them go. Not only are they beautiful flowers, like I said it provides ample shade which we desperately need. Plus we do'nt need to run the A/C as much in the summer (don't worry, it's a new A/C and energy efficient, plus we only run it when we need to, during the down times.)

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	TrooperMax wrote:
	2 years ago my dad thought of an idea to heat the water before it enters the boiler. He did this by wrapping our woodstove exaust pipe with copper pipe and running water through it before it got to the water heater. We use this in the winter, works great, saves about $60 -$80 per month. We disasembed it so I dont have a picture but once we make a newer model i'll make some pictures of our systems

That's a good idea, sure if you had a little plumbing know-how it would be simple. Razz

It doesn't make sense that you add cold water to your hot water and try to heat it like in a normal water heater. Confused

I think solar is a great way to heat your water. It's great, because it takes a huge chunk out of your energy bill. Hopefully your business works out great. My uncle actually did that for a few years. Cool

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Stephanie wrote:

I just thought of another thing I do that has a huge impact on our electric bill. In the summer, I plant morning glories so they grow to cover our front windows. We face south, which means we get full sun all day (no shade trees out there). It gets broiling in here, so doing that provides much needed shade for our living room/dining room.

What I did is plant a garden outside that area (that's where I grow my cooking herbs and veggies, with some other flowers I like), drive tent stakes down every foot or so, string up fishing wire so it goes from the ground to above the windows (tapped in some small nails a foot apart). Plant my seeds and let them go. Not only are they beautiful flowers, like I said it provides ample shade which we desperately need. Plus we do'nt need to run the A/C as much in the summer (don't worry, it's a new A/C and energy efficient, plus we only run it when we need to, during the down times.)

> Very crafty Steph, good job Smile

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Yup, that's me. Crafty. Like a fox. Laughing

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	TrooperMax wrote:
	2 years ago my dad thought of an idea to heat the water before it enters the boiler. He did this by wrapping our woodstove exaust pipe with copper pipe and running water through it before it got to the water heater.

See now I thought about that and thought it was a good idea a year ago, but nobody was willing to help me destroy the house and I didn't really have the training to be drilling holes and wrapping the pipe and hooking it up properly, so I just forgot about it. Now that you mention it, I may give it another go. Anything to reduce bills will not only help us, but also help the environment. Less water you need to heat, the less electricity your heater needs, the less power companies have to produce.

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else