As the clock ticks through the year, the Canadian federal government deadline to eliminate incandescent bulbs draws ever nearer. By 2012, the old lighting standby will be eliminated in Canada, just one of many countries effectively outlawing Edison’s most famous invention. To replace this venerable light source, there are a [...]

In recent years, Transition Towns have become a global phenomenon. They bring together individuals in a community who share the same desire to do the following: tackle oil dependency, address climate change, and seize the opportunities offered by creating a more sustainable way of life. No small task. So how [...]

An Italian mama will tell you that it takes a big mutha of a pot-of-water; a celebrity chef will tell you that ‘for technical reasons’ the water just needs to cover the pasta. There has to be a middle ground. Pasta is a Western diet staple (Americans cook around a [...]

It’s easy to ignore the disconcerting fact that heating water for showers and baths constitutes a huge proportion of the cost of your energy bill, as the overall total is hidden. But showers consume up to 80% of hot water in the average home. But it’s not all doom and [...]

Well, how? What do I mean by that? Simple, really – we need more devices that actually indicate, in a simple way, how much power they’re drawing from our house. But when I say in a simple way, what I really mean is in a way that’s simple for us [...]

If you like to entertain and spend time in your garden then you will want to ensure that you can do that all year round. In some areas the temperature drops at night meaning this can be difficult as you and your guests will get cold. Outdoor fireplaces are ideal [...]

Herbicides… yuck!! The thought of spraying florasulam and glyphosate around the yard is abhorrent to you. As an alternative, let’s look at 4 commonly practiced alternative methods. They’re not necessarily as fast acting but are effective and completely safe, except for the weeds, of course. 1. Vinegar You can use [...]

Plastics such as bags and water bottles take years to decompose in a landfill. Besides that, their use creates an ongoing dependency on oil which at best, is problematic – and at worst is a complete disaster. Although it’s not currently practical to eliminate them completely, let’s examine a few [...]

‘Upcycling’, along with ‘make do and mend’, has become one of the fashion buzz words of sustainability. We’ve all nonchalantly dropped the term into conversation, hoping to convey both cool and concern for the environment in one fell swoop. But what does it actually mean, and which businesses are blazing [...]

Everyone talks a great deal about going green. Most people will agree that it is the right thing to do. So, why haven’t more people done so? Why aren’t there low-flow toilets in every home, and a hybrid car in every garage? It is a matter of both convenience and [...]