I get all giddy inside when I receive my Saturday morning Vancouver Sun and find a Going Green Special Report section.
In this month’s issue….
“Green” is the latest trend in niche dating
It’s
hard to believe that using “eco” to describe your sexual bent will help
you get laid, or land true love, but “green” is the latest trend in
niche dating.Green realtors focus on green homes
Green
realtor” sounds like the punchline of a bad joke involving aliens,
nausea or inexperience. In fact, it’s a label increasingly being
applied to agents with a keen eye on sustainable homes, energy
efficiency and a growing niche market.Coal burned more than ever
Coal.
It evokes Dickensian images of belching smokestacks, wracking coughs
and early deaths. These are images of long ago, right? Think again.
Coal is being burned more than ever, and is the main culprit in global
warming and a host of physical ailments.Cocktail Party Guide to Global Warming the ultimate pocket guide
Smart
and easy to read, Annette Saliken’s Cocktail Party Guide to Global
Warming (iUniverse, $16.95), may well be the ultimate pocket guide to
climate change.Green products not always so green
Just
when you thought buying that household cleaner labelled “green” would
help save the planet, think again. An oft-cited study released last
year by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing found that greenwashing –
the practice of making a company or its products look more
environmentally friendly than they are – is rampant.New technologies take chomp out of home energy bills
Sure,
it’s a load of hot air, but it saved the McKenzie-Davison family about
18 per cent in heating costs from the end of January until May. Their
solar hot air system hasn’t gotten them off the energy grid, but it –
along with a welter of other technologies and some old-fashioned
conservation – has already drastically reduced their dependence on
conventional energy while shrinking their carbon footprint.10 easy steps to energy conservation
Cutting
energy consumption is the easiest way to reduce your reliance on the
grid. You already know that you should be caulking your house to cut
drafts; installing a programmable thermostat for household heating and
cooling; upgrading insulation, doors and windows; and switching to CFL
light bulbs and Energy Star-rated appliances. What else can you do?You can save big by pulling plug on electric grid
Looking
to wean yourself off the grid? The savings – to you and the planet –
can be astronomical. Here’s how: Start by calculating how much energy
your home is consuming and what you can save by changing your habits
and retrofitting your home. Online aids, like Natural Resources
Canada’s home heating calculator (www.canren.gc.ca) are invaluable.A green family in every sense
Karen
McAllister’s kids don’t know McDonald’s – that global fast-food giant –
exists. “But they do know that the salmon they had for dinner the other
night was the one we caught last summer,” says the former Calgarian,
who now lives on Denny Island off the northwest coast of Canada.
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