Brighten your smile naturally without the use of harmful chemicals

I’ve searched all over to find safe and natural ways of whitening teeth and came across many such as pastes of dried oranges and bay leaves, rubbing your teeth with the bark of a walnut tree or rubbing white vinegar on them. Now as much as I’m sure they “might” work, none of them seem very appealing and for Heaven’s sake, where does one even find walnut tree bark???

Personally I wouldn’t want to use commercial teeth whitening products because of packaging waste, some like Crest whitestrips are tested on animals (otherwise they don’t get the CDA or ADA approval so I’ve heard) and my dentist said they can make your teeth more sensitive.

A solution for me would be something that is easy-to-use, non-toxic, has no waste (or packaging would at least be recyclable), not tested on animals and inexpensive.  These are the 4 easiest solutions that I’ve come across and you might already have the ingredients in your home.

Four (4) ways to naturally whiten your teeth:

1. Brush your teeth with baking soda after brushing with toothpaste. (It also helps remove tartar left behind after brushing)
2. Brush your teeth with a paste of green clay and water.  (It also freshens breath)
3. Brush your teeth with a mix of 2 mashed and ripened strawberries with a bit of baking soda
4. Rub apple cider vinegar on your teeth at night

I remember as a kid my mom used to comment on how one of her friends had such white teeth despite being a heavy smoker. He said that he brushed his teeth with baking soda and that it removed all the stains.

Now I’ve heard that baking soda can be abrasive on your teeth enamel so I asked 3 different dentists at my clinic if baking soda was bad to use or if it would have any kind of side effect. The answer was a resounding “NO” by all.

This past May, after I had a tooth pulled (worst pain of my friggin’ life), the dentist gave me this blue dental rinse to prevent infections. Well it certainly prevented infections, but it stained the sides of my teeth. So I decided to start brushing my teeth with baking soda to see if that would sort of “sand” it off.

It’s been about a month now and although my teeth are not as white as those in the Crest commercials, they are definitely whiter. Even more, I like the immediate reaction of them removing the tartar that is left behind, so my teeth feel even cleaner now.

For ease of use, I keep my baking soda in a mini Tupperware container in my medicine cabinet.

Store the baking soda in a container in your medicine cabinet

After brushing my teeth, I then dip the wet tooth brush into the container and brush again.

Dip a wet tooth brush into baking soda then brush teeth

I haven’t yet tried the green clay option but you can buy it from a health food store. It’s the same green clay you would use to make a facial mask. Since it also freshens breath, try giving this to your boyfriends who smoke! If you’re going to use the baking soda option, buy a no name brand as Arm and Hammer tests their products on animals. No point in supporting that.

Use a green clay or baking soda paste to whiten teeth

I’ve never tried the strawberry option and although it’s definitely a luxury option, I don’t have access to them everyday. But the next time I eat them, I will try to imagine them helping my teeth!

Before going to sleep, I will pour a little apple cider vinegar on to my fingers and rub them onto my teeth. This should be interesting to see.

Rubbing apple cider on your teeth can help whiten them

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My first delivery of organic fruits & veggies

It’s been years that I’ve been telling myself that I would do it but it took a sales rep for Jardin des Anges at the Expo Santé Manger natural food exhibition at Montreal’s Palais de Congrés to kick my ass into signing up.

Jardin des anges (Angel Garden) is just one of many cooperatives popping up across North America that deliver fresh organic food to residents in their surrounding area. In general, they favour local produce, thus supporting local farmers and import when necessary (like in winter for example).

A customer, like me, can choose from an array of different basket sizes serving both single households and families. For those that are picky, you can replace certain fruits or vegetables with your choice making it somewhat personalised for your needs.

Delivery happens every week but you choose the frequency (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) that serves your needs and budget. I pay $37 every 2 weeks.

If someone is guaranteed to be home during the delivery day, they will ring the door. Otherwise, what most people do, including myself, is give them a key to the front entrance of the apartment building where you live, then leave a box out for them to put the delivery in to. Houses in residentials neighbourhoods leave coolers out by their doors for the food to be placed into. In general, you can make arrangements with them for which ever method best serve your needs.

Likes:

1. Reduces packaging waste. No pre-packaged vegetables or fruits with stroyfoam trays and saranwrap covering
2. I’m finally eating fruit!
3. Non GMO gigantic California straeberries with no taste.
4. The flavours are incredible. I’ve never tasted carrots so sweet, non bitter celery and spinach so packed with flavour!
5. Because each week contains different veggies and fruits, I’m eating more diverse foods and increasing my mineral and vitamin intake.
6. I’m supporting local farmers
7. I’m eating vegetables and fruits I would normally not buy, but actually enjoy
8. Guilt free eating – no pesticides, herbicides or potatoes that have been irradiated
9. Fresh!
10. My delivery is like a surprise present each week. I’m always excited to open my door and see what I got
11. I can change the delivery frequency whenever I need (no extra fee)
12. I can stop the delivery if out of town and cancel whenever I want (no extra fees)
13. In order to not waste food, I’m actually planning out meals and freezing some so my grocery bill has dramatically decreased
14. I’m cooking new recipes to incorporate all the foods

Dislikes:

1. Ummm…..having to think about writing the cheque and leaving it out the night before?
2. Planning meals
3. Food waste – I eat out a lot during the week and at friends homes so sometimes I can’t eat everything. I deal with this by inviting friends over to eat and make lots of soups in advance and freeze them.

Find an organic delivery service in your city:

There are so many out there. The easiest way to find one is to do a google search for “Organic food delivery + your city” and you’ll find tons.

Here are some that I know of though.

Toronto:

Green Earth Organics

Front Door organics

Mama Earth Organics

Vancouver:

Green Earth Organics

Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (Spud)

Organics at Home

Ladybug Organics

Calgary:

Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (Spud)

Farm Fresh Organics (Edmonton too)

Ottawa:

Ottawa organics

New York

Organic Direct (New Jersey)

Urban Organic

Door to door organics (Colorado, Michigan, Kansas City, East Coast)

Organic fruit and veggie club

Chicago

Fresh picks

San Francisco

Planet Organics

SPUD (Seattle, LA, Portland)

Farm fresh to you (Home & office delivery)

Portland:

Organics to you

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Reflecting on being green in Trinidad, Cuba

This past week-end, i got back from a much needed vacation in Cuba. While there, I reflected a lot upon the feasibility of being green in a developing, socialist no less, nation.

Often in the developed world, we equate being “green” with “green” products. It’s true that making the switch from conventional to “green” or eco-friendly products is definitely a step in the right direction, but I think we’ve lost track of the essential meaning.  A green lifestyle should be about reducing consumption, not the buying of new “green” products. Check out the story of stuff if this doesn’t make sense.

It’s easy to be ethnocentric and judge other peoples cultures. Immediately upon arriving in Varadero, I was quick to judge the resort I was at for not recycling (shampoo bottles, pop cans, wine & rum bottles etc.) and bus drivers that would idle for half an hour at rest stops.

However, upon reflection, the Cubans did much more than I have seen Canadians do in a long time which probably impacts the environment even more. They live a lifestyle that we have long forgotten about. A lifestyle that embodies the basics of no waste, albeit for economic reasons.

Energy saver light bulb in Varadero's Josone national park

1. Energy saver light bulbs – Every park I visited including outdoor restaurants, had energy saver light bulbs. Honestly, this was the last thing I would have expected, but definitely pleasantly surprising. How they get there though is another question. Are they importing from another country, and if so, does that impact the environment more or less than the reduction in energy to light up the parks?
2. Emphasis on seasonal foods – At the hotel buffet, one of the bowls was labelled seasonal fruits. I said to my friend, “When was the last time in Canada we ever saw that at a buffet?”. The answer was never. Even in the dead of winter, we still find strawberries imported from California and berries imported from Chile. Eating seasonally means we can eat locally which reduces food miles. We need to return to seasonal eating, which even has health benefits as seasonal foods contain the vitamins and minerals we need to ward off seasonal sicknesses.
   
3. Emphasis on locally produced food- As repetitive as it got, we were always served cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers for vegetables for example. Why? Because this is what they grow. They live off the food that they produce locally. I wish we would do that. You could even say their livestock is free range as it runs around on their street. I don’t eat meat but I would much rather livestock living outdoors then cooped up in cages, buildings or factory farms. However, one of the restaurants we ate at was so local that we saw them tying up pigs for slaughter for the next tour bus that was arriving. That was hard to watch and hear, but a fact of meat eating life I guess. At least these pigs weren’t transported long distances for slaughter before being transferred to grocery stores, (food miles) everything happened on location.
   

   Free range chickens in Varadero, Cuba

4. Oxen used in agriculture - Now don’t get me wrong, as the animal rights activist I am, I’m vary weary of “working” animals. I hate seeing cows and oxen with rope through their noses and wood tied to their heads to connect them to other oxen. This said, the environmental impact is nil compared to the modern day machinery we use which consumes vast amounts of fossil fuels and pollutes the air. Also, since they’re only producing for local means, they don’t need GMO’s or crazy amounts of machinery to produce massive amounts of food for export.
5. Horse-drawn carriages, bikes and scooters used for transportation – Again, I’m weary of horse-drawn carriages and don’t like seeing tourists go for rides in them around town. I’m never convinced that the horses are treated that well. However, they were better fed than the ones I saw in Egypt. None the less, using them combined with bikes is an excellent means of transportation that contributes to no air pollution. And scooters are definitely a way of “reducing” their consumption of fossil fuels imported from Venezuela compared to using cars.
   

   Horse-drawn carriage transportation in Varadero, Cuba



Three-seater bike transportation in Havana, Cuba

6. Bus drivers respected the speed limit which reduces exhaust and air pollution – A simple gesture but driving the speed limit reduces air pollution.
7. Repair and reuse old cars from the ’50’s – I swear this is one of the most charming aspects of Cuba. It’s a total flash back to the 50’s, but they, much like other developing nations, take the old cars of richer nations, repair the motors and reuse them over and over.


Reused cars from the '50's in Havana, Cuba

8. No wasted food at hotels – All the leftover food at the buffet was given to the employees to take home after. Granted, Canadians would snub their noses up at this but hey, if no one has touched the food, then why not package it and take it home? It’s better than throwing it out, no? If not for the employees, could we at least donate the leftover restaurant food to homeless shelters? Just so we’re clear, I’m not talking about the scraps on peoples plates but simply the cooked food that was never served.
9. Minimal to no chemical pesticides used on crops - So technically, from what I was told, sugarcane for example, is grown totally naturally without the additional of chemicals. Thus, I believe it is fair to say that Cuban rum is organic! Another reason to love pina coladas and mojitos!

Now don’t get me wrong, I know very well that every point mentioned above is due to economics, you often see this in poorer countries simply as they don’t have the means to afford richer methods.  If they were richer, they’d want the same luxuries that us developed nations have come to consider a right as opposed to a privilege such as strawberries during the winter,  non-local food brands transported across the country and large SUV’s to drive 1km instead of taking a bike.

Eco-surprise in a small colonial town of Trinidad, Cuba:

Right before this past Christmas I blogged about Escama studio purses made from recycled beer can pull-tabs. Much to my surprise, I found these exact kinds of purses in a market in Trinidad, Cuba. Here they’re made from the local Cristal beer cans. The local ladies put this waste to use by making these cute purses. I bought one for 8 pesos ($9 US/CAD).

Hand-made purse made from recycled beer can pull-tabs

Eco purse made by Cuban woman

Another cool surprise:

The night before leaving, I was running around town frantically looking for thongs, that’s right, I still refuse to call them flip flops. As it turns out, the Ipanema ‘”flip flops”  that I bought, incidentally designed by Gisele Bundchen, are actually eco-friendly and ethical.

The sales clerk in the store told me they were made from the sap of a tree in Brazil. To be honest, I didn’t find anything about this on their website. But I did learn that they are made from recycled PVC in an environmentally sound way, vegan, recyclable at the end of use, and they have strong human rights laws to protect their workers in Brazil. Sounds like a good sustainable business that I like to support when I do actually have to purchase something!

My ethical Ipanema flip flops

In conclusion, there are drastic changes that must be made in developing nations. But how does one go about bringing environmental change to these places when clearly they have more important issues to worry about?

Cuba is a special case. Since they are a socialist country (contrary to popular belief they are not actually communist) and all companies are owned by the government, what’s their incentive to have their companies listen to foreign complaints about sustainability? One company won’t necessarily benefit over another for making improvements. I suppose I could write my complaints, mainly about the lack of recycling or idling tour buses to their tourism bureau as a threat to their tourism industry would be the biggest motivator to change.

If this was any other island in the Caribbean, where some sort of capitalistic system was in place, the practice of competition between other hotels or tour companies would be a reason to change in response to consumer demands. As far as Cuba’s concerned, I wonder if they even have the infrastructure in place to create recycling facilities, but stopping the tour buses from idling is simple.

I am not a political science or economics expert and my thoughts may be quite naive in the matter but I do know that doing nothing, does just that. So as naive and optimistic as I might be, I have written to both the Cuban Tourist board in Canada and Tours Mont Royal the tour operator that I booked my trip through, bringing my two main environmental complaints to their attention.

Be assured that should i hear back from them on this matter, I will put it in a follow-up post.

Do any of you have thoughts on how developing nations can make the switch to environmental sustainability?

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Letting the water run while doing the dishes drives me mad

Of course, women make these mistakes too, but since I am a woman and well, this is my blog, I’m talking about my experience!  And before you “stupid boyfriends” get mad at me, I don’t actually think you’re stupid, I just think you need a little whip in the green direction.

Let’s face it, relationships are hard. When things can already seem tumultuous, having a partner that’s not as “green” as you can drive you over the edge for something as menial as letting the water run. It shouldn’t be a deal breaker but rather a chance to teach someone about your values and how they can make a difference in the world.

So I’ve rallied up my past experience and that of my girlfriends to compile this list of 10 things partners do that drive us mad.

1. Boiling water on a stove without a lid – I’ve never understood why people do that. Besides waste energy, it simply takes more time to cook your food.
2. Throwing away recyclables – The last thing I want to see when I come home from work is pasta sauce jars, cat food tin cans and toilet paper rolls in the garbage. These things are so easily recyclable. They just need a quick little rinse and they’re good to go into the recycling bin.
3. Buying non environmentally-friendly cleaning products – I’ve been trying so hard over the past 2 years to use up all my old cleaners and replace them with eco-friendly versions. So although I appreciate the effort of someone picking up dish soap when I’m out, it’d be nice if they could pick up an eco-friendly one so I don’t have to stare at Mr. Clean for another year!
4. Leaving the lights on -Plain and simple; if you’re not in the room, turn the lights off. Not only will you reduce your monthly energy consumption but you’ll also lower your energy bill. Every little bit helps to reduce our demand so we don’t have to build more dams.
5. Leaving the heat on (or air-conditioner) – I unfortunately don’t have an automatic thermostat so I make sure that when i leave for work in the morning, I turn the heat off in every room. Otherwise, it’ll keep heating, regardless if the room needs it or not and that’s a real waste. And if it gets too hot in one room, please turn down the heat as opposed to opening the window while the heat is still on. Oh yes, I’ve seen this happen. It aggravates me like nails down a chalk board, nails down a chalkboard!
6. Letting the water run while they brush their teeth or wash dishes – Ooh this one drives me mad. Seeing someone foam up their mouth with toothpaste while the water just pours down the drain makes me want to pull my hair put. Same thing for dishes. A quick solution is either to soak all dishes then rinse one by one or to turn the water off while you scrub the dishes. The goal is not to have water going down the drain for nothing. Water is a precious resource, people who have been to Africa or heck, gone camping, understand this very well.
7. Running the dishwasher or washing machine with half empty loads – This is a big no-no! I’ve gone 2 or 3 days before turning on a dishwasher just because I was waiting to fill it up. If you need some dishes right away but don’t have enough for a full load, try washing the necessary ones right away in the sink so you can at least wait to turn on the dishwasher when it finally fills up. Same thing for washing machines and dryers, try to wait for full loads, and don’t forget to wash in cold water.
8. Leaving the TV or radio on in an empty room – I get leaving them on for background noise if you’re in the same room, but if you’ve left the room, please turn your electronic devices off. This can especially be a problem with children so make sure to teach them young so they don’t grow up with this bad habit.
9. Buying water bottles instead of using a water filter – Ok, once in a while it happens that we buy bottled water, but please, at least recycle the bottle after. If you find yourself continually buying them for transportation purposes, invest in a $15 BPA-free sports bottle that you can cart around. Don’t forget to fill it up with filtered water from home or TapIt while out and about.
10. Letting the car idle while stopped – This is more of a new initiative we’re starting to see implemented throughout cities. Municipal by-laws are being passed whereby taxis and motor coaches must turn off their engines while waiting. Idling wastes fuel, degrades local air quality and contributes to climate change.  I’ve known men that while waiting for me outside, would literally idle in their car with the music on for up to 20 minutes.  So, I’ll do my best to leave the house quicker but men you have got to turn that engine off while waiting for anything over 1 minute and run the radio off your battery. According to the government of British Columbia, idling over 10 seconds will waste more gas then turning your engine off and on. So save gas and the environment by turning your car off. For all you non-believers, check out idlefreebc for more information.

Reality check - If you’re the greeny in a relationship, you can’t just assume that your partner will do exactly as you would, as not everyone has green values. The solution? Communication, pure and simple.

When you move in together or even you’ve been living together for years, you have to let them know what you expect from them and show them how they can do it. I know this sounds more like training a dog but seriously, if you catch them improving on the green front, reward them for it and tell them you’re proud.

Everything above is simple, if not, common sense. So don’t let my getting sued for using a picture of my ex go to waste, communicate your wishes to your partner so you can live in peace and harmony!

Oh and while we’re at it, do let them know you’re also open to changing something you do that drives them insane. Just because we’re green doesn’t mean we’re saints, although I’d sometimes like to believe we are!

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Me with clutch purse made from recycled pop-can pull-tabs

According to Wikipedia, Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.

I recently learned about upcycling after a Sunday morning brunch with a friend at Aux Vivres, a favourite Montreal vegan restaurant, when we discovered a hip, little, eco shop while walking down St Laurent blvd.  Il était deux fois (Once upon two times) is the newest boutique to have opened up by an American transplant that saw a market for recycled items at a premium price.

Purses made from discarded candy wrappers and pop-can pull tabs

Decisions, decisions; so many purses to choose from. These chic and unique purses are definite art pieces. What I really like the most about them, besides being made from what would otherwise be discarded, is that they are all fair-trade. Each purse is signed by the maker themselves from a shop in Brazil.  I won’t lie, these purses cost a pretty penny, i believe the clutches start around $50 or so, but at least you know the money is going to a good cause.

Back in April 2009, I bought an Ecoist purse at the airport in DC, that was made with misprinted magazine papers from Mexico. I’ve also seen them made form New York subway tickets and Wrigley gum wrappers. And if you think this sounds junky, don’t be fooled, these purses are showing up in the latest fashion magazines like Vogue and on runways across Europe!  Green fashion is so hot right now!

Cork boards made from reused wine corks and hockey stick mirrors

Do you like to drink wine? I sure do! This wine cork board is the perfect way to reuse corks and who doesn’t need an extra place to pin important pieces of paper or concert tickets to a wall? And talk about these mirrors made from broken hockey sticks! With such a vintage look, they would be the perfect decoration for any boys’ bedroom wall.

Escama Studio pop-can pull-tab bracelets and necklaces

These jewellery pieces were the best. Necklaces and bracelets made from pop-can pull-tabs. These ones were made from the Brazilian company Escama Studio. Whoever would have thought that something so cheap could produce something so glamourous.

I bought a bracelet for myself. It cost me around $25 but I feel good knowing that my money is going to a fair-trade company helping to get Brazilians off the street.

The next time you go to throw something away in the trash, just ask yourself if there’s a better way. Could you reuse it in some way shape or form to create a masterpiece? Could it become the next art project for your kids perhaps?

If visiting Montréal, check out  this 3-block strech of St Laurent boulevard between Mont-Royal and Villeneuve which is now being dubbed the Green Mile full of eco-boutiques, veggy restaurants and high-end consignment stores.

Il était deux fois is located at 4539 St-Laurent Boulevard in Montreal (1 block north of Mont-Royal).

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George's opening speech at the World premiere of Terriens in Montréal

The world premiere of Earthlings in French, “Terriens”, was a smashing success last Friday night with more than 750 people squeezing into the theatre at UQAM. The ambiance was definitely full of love and excitement. Besides Georges Laraque, special guests included 2 other Montreal Canadiens; Maxim Lapierre and Michael Cammalleri.

Special NHL guests Maxim Lapierre and Michael Cammalleri

The event started with a sneak preview of “Unity” the sequel to Earthlings which is slated to air this Spring. The 3 minute trailor shows nothing more than 2 cows waiting in single file to be stunned at the slaughterhouse.

A door lifts and the worker comes and hits the first cow with an electric prod to move him into the next room. The remaining cow, hearing the noises of what is happening to his comrade, backups and starts trying to turn around to get out, but can’t, because he is stuck in this narrow passage. The look in his eyes says it all “I am scared and don’t want to die”.

I brought 10 amazing friends to this event whom were all open-minded to see how animals suffer for food, pets, fashion, entertainment and medical research. Most of them confessed to Unity being more powerful than actual images of animals being slaughtered because it explored the connection between human and animal consciousness.

Vegan food pyramid: Recommended by the Dietitians of Canada

At the end of the film when viewers were now convinced that, they too, must become vegetarian, Georges did what I thought was excellent. He brought out his nutritionist Anne-Marie Roy who gave a presentation on vegan diets.

Not only did she dismiss many myths like protein deficiency etc., she then showed how the top North American nutritional organizations like the Dietitians of Canada and the American Dietetic Association not only recommend vegan diets but state that they actually prevent many illnesses like colon cancer, diabetes, kidney stones, heart disease and so on.

Environmental destruction due to meat production

Carl Saucier-Bouffard, an Oxford grad and Professor of Ethics, from the Vegetarian Association of Montreal and representative for the Green Party of Canada gave a passionate speech on how meat production is destructive to the environment. Did you know that meat production including transport and food is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions then all human transportation put together?

Meatless Monday's are an excellent way to give up meat progressively

For those who felt overwhelmed by vegetarianism, Carl Saucier-Bouffard gave an informative presentation on Meatless Monday’s (les lundis sans viande) to help introduce vegetarianism slowly to those who are interested.

George Laraque giving away an autographed jersey

After the presentations, a draw was held for chic, cruelty-free Matt & Natt purses and hand bags, hockey tickets and of course, autographed hockey jersey’s.

Musique Plus interviewer states he too has been vegetarian for 3 years

Lots of local media showed up. The best was when the interviewer from Musique Plus (French Canadian MTV) told George Laraque how much of an inspiration he was to him and that he too has been vegetarian for 3 years! Amazing!

Director and Producer, Shaun Monson, autographs "Terriens" poster

Shaun Monson, the director and producer of Earthlings (Terriens) flew in from LA for the event. Here he is autographing posters for fans.

Georges Laraque autographs Terriens DVD for fan

For those wishing to purchase it, Earthlings is available for sale in both English and French. For those who live in Montreal, regular free screenings are supposed to happen in town thanks to Georges Laraque. Free Earthling screenings will be posted here.

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NHL superstar, Georges Laraque, turns vegan

(Film info below)

Barely 7 months ago, this NHL hockey superstar, Georges Laraque, shocked fans across North America with his decision to become vegan after watching the award-winning film Earthlings. As if he didn’t get enough flack for being a “black hockey player”, he took media criticism to another level with his decision to defend the animals and the environment. Despite it all, he continues to make a huge difference in the world and for that – he truly rocks!

I recently had the pleasure of meeting this true hockey hero this past month for his birthday at Chu Chai, Montreal’s best Vegetarian Thai restaurant. What I really respect about him, is that he has taken veganism to the next level by getting involved in animal rights activism making the public aware of such atrocities as puppy mills and the fur industry.

Urban Green Girl with Georges Laraque at ChuChai celebrating his b-day

After his dramatic lifestyle change, Georges took it upon himself to contact Shaun Monson, Earthlings’ film maker in LA, offering to create the French version of this eye-opening documentary by doing the narration in French.  The English film was originally narrated by Academy-Award winning actor Joaquim Phoenix. Shaun, eager to bring this film to international heights, jumped at this opportunity. He flew to Montreal, worked in studio with Georges and the rest is history.

The official French version is now ready and Georges Laraque will be premiering this film on January 8th in Montreal at UQAM university. Georges plans on doing as many free screenings of this film as possible in both English and French throughout Montreal. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if France would be next on his list.

Come meet Georges Laraque at the World Premiere screening of Earthlings on Jan 8, 2010 (Terriens – French version).

7pm on Jan 8th 2010 in Montreal.
UQAM 405 Ste. Catherine East, Montreal
Room J-M 400 “Marie-Gerin Lajoie”

Tickets are FREE but First Come First Serve

It will be possible to get a copy of the DVD for $15  and Georges Laraque will be on hand to autograph them

Sign up on the Facebook event

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Dropping off my desktop computer at PC Recycle in Montreal

To me, throwing your old computer out on the street is absolutely unacceptable. But let’s be honest, what’s the alternative? It’s not like there’s a company that comes to our mind when we want to get rid of our computer?

Sure you can send your computer back to Dell or Sony if you buy another one of their computers, but I didn’t. Dell wouldn’t take my Dell Inspiron desktop back because I bought a Sony laptop.

Absolutely unacceptable! Old computer thrown out on street for garbage

So through a little investigation, I found a company called PC Recycle in Montréal that actually picks up old computers from businesses or the public can drop them off there.

PC recycle Montreal, an alternative to e-waste

What to do with your old computer:

What to do will vary from place to place, but here are a few general tips that should bring about a result for anyone!

1. First contact the manufacturer to see if they offer ‘pick up for recycling’ programs
2. Contact the retailer where you bought it
3. Read How to recycle your TV for a list of organizations in Canada and US that recycle electronics
4. Contact your municipality for recycling programs
5. Google Your city + computer recycling for potential recycling companies in your area

I agree that a little work might be needed to actually find a solution, but the time it takes you to find a solution is much quicker than eternity, which is the amount of time your computer will sit in a landfill, polluting the environment. Yes, it might be a pain in the ass, it was for me, but man do I feel great knowing that my computer will be recycled and not contribute to e-waste.

Did you find a way to recycle your old computer or electronics? Tell me about it.

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Did you know that 20% of all CO2 released into the air “from humans” comes from the clearing of forests? That’s right, cutting them down results in more carbon being released into the air then cars, trucks, trains and planes combined. That’s huge!

This December, global leaders, including Obama, will be meeting in Copenhagen to discuss climate change. They must address deforestation if they want to make a difference. In order to make this happen, CPAWS (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society) just launched a great campaign called MakeForestsCount which includes a petition to Canada and United States asking them to:

• Protect intact forests and wetlands;
• Account fully for the carbon lost by cutting forests and destroying wetlands — accounting must be based on actual changes in emissions from the past.
• Help developing countries to reduce deforestation and forest degradation while protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

So if YOU want to make a difference against climate change, go to MakeForestsCount.org and sign the petition today!

Watch the video:

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Car sharing gives you the benefits of a car in an eco-friendly fashion

Lets face it, in an urban world, there are just some times where we need to have a car. From  picking up friends or family at the airport and transporting furniture or big purchases to simply wanting to get out of town for the week-end, the use of a car is imminent.

In my day to day life, I fortunately do not need a car.  I use the metro (subway) to get to work and can walk to all necessary stores and services. This is one of the reasons I believe living in a urban centre is actually quite eco. However, there are times where I legitimately need a car. So here’s what I did, I became one of 20,000 Canadians that signed up for car-sharing. I did it with Communauto.

About car sharing:

Car sharing is one of the coolest trends in the “eco” movement and is practiced around the world, especially in Europe. It started in Switzerland in 1987 and made its way to North America via Quebec in 1993. It entails sharing a car with others through an organisation, only when you need it. It is the perfect compliment to someone like me who uses public transport but needs a car from time to time. It has apparently become so popular in the urban eco movement that new condo developments are being built with parking spaces available for cars from car-sharing companies only.

My experience with car sharing:

In Montreal, I joined Communauto who have existed in Québec for over 15 years and have over 300 locations throughout the city. Their service has proved so successful that they can’t even advertise because demand is growing so fast!

I pay a nominal membership fee. With the package I chose, I pay $7 a month plus a small fee for the time and mileage of each trip I make. They have a fleet of Toyota Echos and Matrix’s. Gas, insurance and repairs are all included in my membership cost and if ever I get into an accident, I have a $0 deductible. Once I have reserved a car either online or by phone, I simply take the car’s key from the lock box located in the parking lot. It’s that simple – user operated.

Communauto provides its members with exclusive access to its vehicles. By becoming a Communauto subscriber, you gain access to a fleet of cars that you can reserve at low cost for a half-hour, an hour, a day or longer, according to your needs. Located in the heart of your neighbourhood, the cars are available without delay, 24/7.

Benefits of car sharing:

• Reduces air pollution and congestion
• Cheaper than owning a car
• All the benefits of needing a car without the hassles of repairs, insurance, gas and maintenance
• Convenient – available 24/7
• Perfect for hourly use
• Gas is free
• It’s cool

An introduction to car sharing – CBC.ca

How to find a car sharing organisation near you:

Even if you don’t live in gorgeous Montreal, don’t lose interest. Here is a list of car sharing operators throughout the world. One of the biggest in North America is Zipcar who is located across urban centres and even on some university campuses. In Canada, a great reference is Car sharing in Canada.

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