These customers had exactly two coffees in their tray, freeing up a hand so they could (of course) text on their cell phones. While I’m all for texting, I think the last time I checked, our planet was in danger of becoming a garbage heap. No thanks to wastefulness like this of course…

However, as irritating as people’s little habits are, I did notice some good that Starbucks is initiating, getting people to step up and take accountability for their planet, and their coffee. 

What is Shared Planet?

Starbucks Shared Planet is a business commitment to the environment. This means that Starbucks will work to make green changes within their business practices, from they way they buy their coffee, to how their stores are developed and run, and even ensuring they have a presence within their communities.

The Coffee

We’ve always known that coffee comes from nature, and Starbucks is realizing this, too. They are making a point to buy Ethically Traded Coffee, which means that farmers receive a fair payment for their product, and the coffee bean is grown in an environmentally responsible way.

Conservation International has also paired up with Starbucks to develop their buying guidelines for socially, environmentally, and economically responsible coffee, and also developing a new climate change initiative which takes conservation beyond the coffee farm and into the surrounding communities and landscapes of the growers.

The support for these coffee farmers goes even further with Starbucks Farmer Support Centres which are operating within Costa Rica and eventually Ethiopia.

The Cup Stops Here

Within the store, Starbucks is committed to delivering the consumer their coffee, but it comes at a price. Ten cents will be knocked off everyone’s favourite drink, but only if they come in with their own reusable mug.

This program is being used within every Starbucks location so go get your (reusable) fill!

Speaking of cups, if you have forgotten your travel mug at home, by 2015, Starbucks is planning on having 100 percent of their cups be reusable or recyclable, which will be a huge contribution to keeping the planet green since the majority of Starbucks products come in a cup.

Also at store level comes their recycling program. This is shown to be consumers’ biggest concern when they are inside a Starbucks, and probably the most obvious. Within the next five years, Starbucks aims to have recycling available within 100 percent of their stores where they control the waste, something every major company should take into consideration, don’t you think?

To explore a green Starbucks store and get a tour of their innovative features check out: starbucks.com/sharedplanet

Within The Community

During a recession community involvement often wanes- but not for Starbucks. The company’s partners and customers in United States and Canada volunteered 245,000 hours of community service in 2008, and their goal has been increased to volunteer 1 million hours by 2015. Starbucks online social network, V2V (Volunteer to Volunteer) helps connect volunteers all over the world to make a difference in their communities. Check out v2v.net/starbucks to find out more.

To see more about the Shared Planet initiative visit:  starbucks.com/sharedplanet

Image courtesy of elephantjournal.com

Some big ticket items are the most hazardous to the environment, but are deemed crucial in the home, so how can we make them more enviro-savvy for our world?

Your Old Mattress

The Washington Post reports that most mattresses are made out of petroleum based ingredients such as polyurethane foam, and contain flame retardants which are required by law, but are often made up of chemicals harmful to human health.

Aside from the make-up of your mattress, regular tossing and turning can result in a break down of the foam within the mattress and causes dust particles to float into the air your breathe.

In 2006, a Consumer Product Safety Commission study estimated that “the average adult sleeping  on a conventional mattress will be exposed to 0.802 milligrams of antimony and 0.081 milligrams of boric acid, which is commonly used to kill cockroaches every night”. This fact alone has me questioning my Serta Beauty Rest and considering the positives a chemical free mattress may have not only on the environment, but on my peace of mind as well.

Purchasing Your New Mattress

If your in the market to purchase an organic mattress, many retailers such as JC Penney offer organic lines. Another great website to check out and purchase organic mattresses (within the US only) is The Organic Mattress Store (theorganicmatressstore.com).

They offer a wide range of mattresses for babies to adults which are made from 100% pure rubber latex (not synthetic latex) at its core and quilted with pure wool, certified organic cotton, and wrapped in a certified organic cotton fabric cover. The site also boasts duvets, pillows, organic sheets, and wooden and metal bed frames- all environmentally sound.

Lets All Do Our Part

So now that you’re doing your part and trading that old mattress in for an upgrade, it is comforting to know that others are following suit. Mattress giant Sleep Country Canada is taking initiative at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games and donating mattresses for all our athletes to get their rest on, and when the Olympics are completed, they are donating all mattresses, box springs and frames to charitable organizations throughout the Sleep Country chain region.

To read more on environmental sustainability within the 2010 Games check out vancouver2010.com/sustainability and rest at ease on some organic (bed) support.

Image courtesy of smh.com.au

Soak Wash is exactly what the name suggests; it is a rinse free formula that you mix with water, let your garments take a bath in, and then gently squeeze out and lie flat to dry.

We know you have questions so read on…

How Does It Work?

Soak is a low suds liquid which means that when you soak you items, the dirt and detergent come out in the water and what is left in the item evaporates.

When you squeeze out the water all that is left is a hint of fragrance. Rinsing the item doesn’t effect how Soak works, it just removes the fragrance.

Why Should I Hand Wash in Soak?

Soak requires less rinsing which means less harm on your fabrics, and also less water used and wasted.

Oh Yeah, and What Else About Our Planet?

The makers of Soak boast that their formula is so gentle you could take a bath in it. While I wouldn’t go pouring Soak into my bathtub, there are quite a few environmental benefits to the product.

Soak is bio-degradable, phosphate free, non-toxic, and dye-free so whatever fragrance is left on your clothing after wringing it to dry, won’t agitate or harm your skin (which should also make those who are wary of the not rinsing after you wash recommendation feel more at ease).

Soak is also contained in recyclable bottles with a recyclable label substrate and water based inks used for printing.

Here’s how you use it:

For Hand-Washing: Pour 1 teaspoon into cool water. Soak item for 15 minutes then gently squeeze out water. No need to rinse.

Soak in the Washing Machine: Use the delicate cycle and measure Soak based on your machine’s instructions. You can either use or skip the rinse cycle, depending on what you are washing. Soak is good for High Efficiency Washers as well.

Image courtesy of  soakwash.com

‘Swishing Parties’ are gaining popularity (especially in times of a recession) with the main goal of finding new homes for old clothing and accessories.

The way an event works is a group of women clean out their individual closets, bring their clothing, shoes, and accessories to the party host’s home and make trades with their own closet calamities for other’s fashion faux-pas.

After all, one woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure.

Recycle Reuse and Re-Gift

As the holidays come along, holiday soirees are the way to gather everyone together and a resourceful way to do it (economically and ecologically) is to hold a Swishing Party.

Instead of buying all ten of your girlfriends individual gifts (does Sarah really need another purply M.A.C eye-shadow?) why not invite them over for a Girls-Only-Christmas Party.

Everyone bring their bag of clothing they no longer have use for, pour the Christmas cocktails and let the exchanging begin!

After everyone has gotten what they want, donate the rest to a charitable cause, such as Goodwill (goodwill.on.ca) or one of the many breast cancer donation bins located throughout Canada (find out more at breastcancersupport.org).

The Ugly Facts About Your (Ex) Cashmere

Donating or giving away clothing that you no longer want is such an obvious thing when it comes to cleaning out your closet, but many will be surprised to learn that clothing still gets dumped into the trash every year.

The Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, which is very big on clothing donation and has many donation bins situated throughout Ontario, reports that on average, “80% of textiles thrown away still have 75% of their wear-ability left”, and that “synthetic  (man-made fibres) products will not decompose, and while woolen garments, do compose, they produce methane gas which causes global warming.”

These facts alone are enough reason to haul the unwanted contents of your closet to a donation bin, or get out the calendar and plan a swishing event.

So if you’re looking for a fun way to get your girlfriends together and to get a free new-to-you sweater out of the deal, or to avoid spending too much cash at Christmas, consider swish the newest way to shop! (and if you don’t love it after you take it home, get your hands on Reconstructing Clothes For Dummies, the best in personalizing your unique style!)

Read more about Swishing from swishing.org and swishing.co.uk.

Images courtesy of furniturehomedesign.com and mams.rmit.edu.au

For The Baby sitter

Any fifteen year old girl will love LaNatura Juicy Organic Shea Butter Lip Balms which naturally soothe, tame, and moisturize anything you can think of from your lips to your chapped winter skin, it even tames unruly eyebrows!

Buy now from Amazon.com!

For The Science Teacher

The Environment 101 Box of Answers

These 100% recyclable flash cards are filled with enviro-facts that inform you how you can do your part to save the planet.

Each card contains an environmental fact or problem and a solution on how you can help. A great idea that will get the whole classroom involved!

Buy now from Amazon.com!

You need not worry. Why not get them gifts that will do some good this year for the environment, as well as the pocketbook? We have you covered.

For The Science Teacher

The Environment 101 Box of Answers

These 100% recyclable flash cards are filled with enviro-facts that inform you how you can do your part to save the planet. Each card contains an environmental fact or problem and a solution on how you can help. A great idea that will get the whole classroom involved! Buy now!

For The Baby sitter

LaNatura Juicy Organic Shea Butter Lip Balms

Any fifteen year old girl will love LaNatura Juicy Organic Shea Butter Lip Balms which naturally soothe, tame, and moisturize anything you can think of from your lips to your chapped winter skin, it even tames unruly eyebrows! Available in eight delicious flavours, including Cherry Drop, Green Apple, and Tangerine! Buy now!

For The Yoga Instructor

Yoga Mat Wash by Vermont Soap

From Vermont Soap Organics, comes what every yoga-enthusiast needs, his or her very own yoga mat sanitizer. The Yoga Mat Wash by Vermont Soap is the perfect solution to keeping clean. As flu season and the being perpetually indoors germs are upon us it is important to sanitize every surface, including your yoga mat, and who in better need of this than your yoga instructor.  Just aim the nozzle and spray the sanitizer onto a wet cloth or paper towel and lightly scrub. Wipe down with a dry cloth and your mat is rejuvenated! For a thorough cleaning let the solution soak in and work it into a lather before wiping off. Buy now!

For The Housekeeper

For the cleaning guru of your home, (or even as a reward for all this shopping for yourself) why not help improve indoor air quality by giving her an indoor plant? How does it work you may ask. Carbon dioxide enters the leaves of the plant, photosynthesis takes place (ask the kids science teacher about this one once when you give him his Environmental Box of Answers) and voila! Oxygen is released into the air, purifying the home.

For more information on which houseplants improve air quality check out: myindoorhouseplants.com.

Once all your miscellaneous shopping is under control (and you can get back to those ever so specific Christmas lists from the kids) don’t forget to wrap your environmental gifts in a green way. Reusable shopping bags, old comic strips, a sprig of holly or pine tied around makes very earth-friendly and unique packaging.

Happy shopping!

For The Yoga Instructor

From Vermont Soap Organics, comes what every yoga-enthusiast needs, his or her very own yoga mat sanitizer.

The Yoga Mat Wash by Vermont Soap is the perfect solution to keeping clean. As flu season and the being perpetually indoors germs are upon us it is important to sanitize every surface, including your yoga mat, and who in better need of this than your yoga instructor.

Just aim the nozzle and spray the sanitizer onto a wet cloth or paper towel and lightly scrub. Wipe down with a dry cloth and your mat is rejuvenated! For a thorough cleaning let the solution soak in and work it into a lather before wiping off.

Buy now from Amazon.com!

If the scent of pine needles is your true association with Christmas, and you can’t bear the idea of replacing the real evergreen tree with a reusable fake tree for the Christmas season, you won’t have to worry about the waste that comes with chopping down a tree for the sake of the season.

Several nurseries sell Christmas trees with roots that are fully intact, which allows the tree to be replanted after it has served its purpose as your holiday landmark.

Finding and Replanting Your Tree

The most important thing about finding a suitable tree to replant is ensuring that is hardy and healthy enough to survive past the Christmas season. Most nurseries will suggest you purchase a pine, spruce or fir tree, which are all strong evergreens.

Once the tree is indoors, make sure it is placed in water and the roots are wrapped in burlap. If the tree loses moisture it will not be a successful candidate to replant.

Remember that you can always throw a tree skirt over the bucket and burlap to make the tree look festive and presentable.

Once the season is over and you want to transfer your tree, it is important to remember that you can’t break ground to replant if there is freezing in your area at this time of year.

One way to do it if you live in colder climates is to pre-dig a hole before the frost comes to ensure your tree gets in the ground. If you don’t experience frost at this time of year you should be able to break ground with no problems. After the roots are in the ground it is still essential to water and keep your tree warm by wrapping it entirely in burlap, since it is still growing.

Remember, that a tree cannot last indoors a longer period of time so plan to have your tree indoors for maximum of two weeks, and enjoy that winter-fresh scent of pine guilt-free, and the newest addition to your yard and garden.

And then clean up the needles with a Dyson Handheld Vacuum … hopefully Santa’ll leave you one.

Image courtesy of ehow.com

Kids know it best when it comes to simple, home-made crafts so why not look to the little ones to make your spirits – or your tree – brighter  this holiday season?

Cranberry-Popcorn Garland

This old-fashioned traditional and country inspired Christmas tree garland is organic and easy to make, and can be used year after year!

You Will Need:

• Popcorn Kernels
• Air Popcorn Popper
• Dried Cranberries or Fresh Cranberries and a Food Dehydrator
• Needle
• Fishing Line
• Scissors

(If involving the kids in this one, make sure they are old enough to be handling a needle and thread)

1. Air-pop kernels in a popcorn maker; you definitely don’t want to use any popcorn that has butter or salt on it as it will discolour the popcorn, make it sticky and oily and unsuitable for hanging on the tree as well as for storing. Make sure you pop a significant number of kernels so the length of the garland can reach around the entire tree.

2. Either purchase already dried natural cranberries, or dry ripe cranberries in your food dehydrator. Make sure they are free of all moisture before attempting to use, and the number of cranberries coincides with the number of popcorn kernels.

3. Measure and cut enough fishing line to fully circle your Christmas tree, or make two shorter garlands, which will be easier to wind around the tree once completed.

4. Attach the fishing line to your needle, and tie a thick and sturdy knot at the end of the fishing line so the popcorn and cranberries can stay on the line. String popcorn and cranberries interchangeably, or in groups of as many as you wish to make a decorative line.

5. Remove needle and secure the beginning of your line so your garland stays in place.

6. Carefully wrap around Christmas tree and enjoy! (Don’t attempt to eat the cranberries and popcorn, and make sure you string high enough off the ground so pets can’t sniff out a treat)

Baked Christmas Ornaments

You Will Need:

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup salt
• ¾ cup water
• cookie cutters

(Make sure to use adult supervision around the oven while baking)

1. Mix ingredients until moistened and kneed the dough. Roll out so it is about 1/8 thick.

2. Cut the dough into fun shapes with your cookie cutters. Some options are tree shapes, or three circles to overlap and make into a snowman. Make sure to puncture a small hole in the top for a string to hang on the tree.

3. Bake on baking sheets for 2 hours at 250 degrees. Cool when finished.

4. Paint your shape with watercolours and cover it in shellac and dry. Another option is to cover your shape in glue and sprinkle with glitter so it catches the twinkle lights from the tree.

5. Tie string or fasten small wire hanger to ornament and hang from tree. If your ornament is heavy, such as the snowman made of many pieces of dough, attach with wire hanger to ensure it is strong enough to support the ornament.

For packing your Christmas creations away once the holiday is over, it is best to store in a Rubbermaid container to keep out moisture and dust. Wrap all homemade ornaments in tissue paper to protect them, or store them in individual boxes (recycle old jewelery boxes) so they don’t get crushed when pulling them out next year.

Setting the Initiative in Motion

Even before the initiative is set into motion, other parts of North America are talking about following suit.  A spokesperson for Ontario Energy stated on CTV News earlier in November that this may be something for the province of Ontario to seriously consider as well.

The Pros

In the past similar proposals have made various electronic products more energy efficient, such as air conditioners (like the DeLonghi PAC) and refrigerators, which inevitably makes them more apt for today’s needs and demands.

Already companies such as Sony have been at work developing energy efficient televisions such as the 2008 32-inch Bravia KDL-32JE1 LCD model . This television was released in Japan and uses only 89 watts of electricity, compared to the original Bravia which uses 160 watts (though notably, the Sony Bravia S-Series
televisions are eco-friendly nontheless. For techie news on this television set click here).

Another pro for this future regulation is if the most populous state bans
energy-hogging televisions, then that will significantly cut the entire country’s usage down. Also, a step like this will inspire other states to step up their energy standards, dramatically cutting usage.

The Cons

On the other side of the table, this has been said to be coming at a bad time for California, whose unemployment rate has peaked for the first time since World War II, affecting retailers, distributors, and installers.  Since it is still legal to purchase plasma TV sets over the internet, retailers worry that they will no longer be needed since the consumer will still want their 50-inch screen, but the retailer won’t be poised to deliver the product any longer.

For the TV owner this could be a huge pay-off, as the Los Angeles Times reports, that the average first year savings would be an estimated $30US per television set and $912 million US statewide.

As well, in the long run this will inspire a new industry that requires television developers to engineer greener methods to build larger television sets, potentially creating new green jobs.

So environmental-television lovers rejoice! Your day will finally come when watching a little TV on your big screen will no longer reign on your green state of mind.

Image courtesy of away.com

After many Mothers Days, birthdays, anniversaries, et cetera, mom has an overhaul of  perfumes, expensive creams, little books that tell her how much you care, and ceramic figurines to supply every kid with gifts for their mothers from this Mothers Day, May 10th, 2009 until 2030. So why not this year get mom something that is unique as well as will do the environment and her spirit some good.

Mother’s Day Gift Hints

Yoga Classes

Why not rejuvenate the mind and body with a gift certificate for yoga classes?  If mom is a newbie to yoga this gift may inspire a new interest, or if she is an advanced yoga enthusiast you’ve gotten a fool-proof gift, without the harmful packaging and an undetermined shelf life.

Green Thumb

You know mom loves puttering in the garden, but who actually loves pulling weeds for hours? Pull out the Crayolas and make her a gift certificate for a few hours of yard work, and why not attach it to a plant that will show mom you’re committed to the project.

Wrap it Up

If mom already told you she wants a refill of her favourite perfume, why not wrap it in a reusable canvas bag that she can take with her shopping? The gift inside may not be as eco-friendly as it could be, but at least there is no wrapping paper to use once and then dispose of.

Or keep it simple

And if you’ve constantly gotten gifts for mom over the years that she has never used and a smile that says, “you really shouldn’t have”, nothing beats a hug!

Image courtesy of easytogrowgarden.com

However, on the runways at Toronto Fashion Week, trench coats, scarves, tights and closed toed heels are all screaming out that fall is upon us in the fashion industry.

Amongst all the winter wear for the Fall/Winter 2009 season is an abundance of fur stoles, wraps, and trims. Designer Linda Lundstrom, who has worked in the Canadian fashion industry for the past three decades, was chiefly displaying fir for this upcoming season, but despite the appearance of her new line, Lundstrom is an environmentalist at heart.

The Lundstrom company, now being manufactured by Eleventh Floor Apparel Ltd, practices a ‘Green-Notes’ Program which gives preference to environmentally friendly fabrics and enforces recycling programs at their manufacturing and administrative facilities to reuse and reduce materials lost in production.

Lundstrom garments are also manufactured locally in Toronto, Canada ensuring quality, but also making another environmental impact by not outsourcing labour to foreign countries. This, then,  saves energy and creates less pollution in regards to transportation costs.

In previous seasons, such as Spring 2007, Lundstrom created an eco-chic Bamboo collection (Lundstrom, Green Carpet Series). Using bamboo in the production of clothing provides a biodegradable and natural solution to our necessary fashion fixes. Bamboo is also antibacterial with cooling properties, which is something that man-made fibres can’t boast.

Her recent line includes other Earth-friendly fibres, including: tencel lycocell, linen, silk, bamboo rayon and organic cotton.

It is interesting to see the marriage of sustainable options with fur-lined frocks. As opposed to fighting the force, we’re progressing into an unlikely combination where a blended harmony wins.

The traditionalist way to deal with fur at a fashion show is to, well,  throw blood and scream out murder. But we can learn from this: just stop for a minute and look for the designer who may have a soft spot for mother nature and  have a talent for making the faux – and fur – look fabulous.

Explore her fashion line at Linda Lundstrom.

Image courtesy of Linda Lundstrom.

gift bags that get carelessly left behind and later thrown away, and paper signs on every seat that get torn down and replaced with the same names between each show.

It was a shock this year when LG took over sponsoring the usually un-environmentally conscious event, that plastic water bottles would be so heavily reprimanded on site.
This environmental effort arose out of the water bottle ban that Toronto City Hall and Civic Centres imposed earlier this year.
As a heavy water drinker volunteering at the 2009 Fall shows, I left my apartment, walked over to Nathan Philips Square with plastic water bottle in hand and entered the tents. Backstage where the volunteers conglomerate there were tables set up with healthy snacks of fruits and veggies, but no drinks in sight.

All I thought was: thank goodness I brought my own water! As soon as I opened the cap to take a sip I was told I had to either throw out my completely full bottle, or leave City Hall property. I argued that I was not throwing out a full bottle of water, which would contribute even more to the problem that Fashion Week already has of being known as wasteful.

As an alternative I was offered a glass bottle of Evian water. I accepted the bottle, but refused to open it since I already had a drink in hand, and resourcefully brought home the Evian water.
I know everyone reading this would say that plastic bottles are a faux-pas in general and that I should have a reusable water bottle, (and I agree) but if anyone has been backstage at an event, they would know that you leave nothing of value behind unless you wish to donate it to the innocent face but shifty-eyed girl with the hidden pockets lagging behind everyone.
In the debate of glass verses plastic, I respect (but absentmindedly forgot) City Hall’s decision to remove plastic water bottles from its vending machines. But I morally cannot chuck a bottle that is full, in favour for opening another, wasting two bottles of water, merely to support a ban which was created in order to be green.

If Toronto City Hall was truly green, as they claim to be, they would look into the unnecessary waste that goes into events being thrown on its premise.

Comments? Opinions?

Image courtesy of getwhet.com

Luckily, in today’s green-conscious world, sacrificing a cow to make our mules is no longer an issue.

The Alternative

Beyond Skin is an ethical footwear label that hand-produces shoes out of England using a variety of man-made materials. Their footwear is made from animal-free fabrics, among them satins, synthetic leathers, and organic cottons.

Their satins are made from polyester rather than the commonly-used chemically processed viscose. Their synthetic leathers are developed from cotton-backed polyurethane which resembles PVC, a chemical commonly used in footwear to create the faux-leather (pleather) look.

(Pleather, by the way,  is progressively moving away from being a great alternative to real leather due to containing, chlorine, supposedly causing asthma. Perhaps not so great after all?)

Turning animal hides into leather is an obvious no-no when it comes to animal activists, but another ethical reason to avoid purchasing leather goods is the negative environmental factors it entails. When leather is tanned it goes through a highly toxic process which renders it non-biodegradable. Beyond Skin points out that farming animals such as cattle for human uses produces large amounts of waste. In turn, this pollutes the ground and surface water, contributing to the overall effect of global warming.

Fashion Faux Pas?

These alternative materials may be eco-friendly, but are they, well, fashionable? Having been highlighted in high-end fashion magazines such as Marie Claire, In Style and Vogue as not the typical Birkenstock-esque shoe, Beyond Skin’s footwear isn’t the typical stereotype of what normally dons the environmentalist’s foot.

These shoes come in peep-toed, sky high stilettos, ankle boots, all in a variety of not-so-natural vibrant colours.  They even offer custom made wedding shoes which can be matched with the fabric swatch of your dress, or made from a selection of their vintage fabrics.

If you’re aiming for animal-free alternatives, stay home, save the gas, and click over to Beyond Skin for your latest contribution to sustainability.

—

For more information about eco and vegan-friendly footwear, check out:

Eco-friendly shoes built for comfort

Our review on Style, Naturally: a great eco-guide for fashionistas

The low-down on vegan fibres and fabrics

It stifled the normally excessive couture that we see on the runway this time of year and forced designers to think on a budgeted scale, which may have been bad for the fashion community, but good for the environment.
The typical fashion mindset was discarded this year in favour for a more recession-friendly attitude, which resulted in accidental eco-chic style, (or as “eco-chic” as couture will allow) that encompassed our favourite R’s; recycle, reduce and reuse.

Recycle

This year, the trends show more flexibility for women’s daily wear. Referring to the economic recession, designer Rebecca Taylor explained, “the items (on the catwalk) should be versatile and easily transitioned from day to evening so they can be worn for several different occasions” (New York Magazine). Even though this initial statement was referring to pinching pennies during the recession, it can be taken in a greener sense as well. Re-wearing clothing, which is typically seen as an ultimate fashionista no-no, saves on materials, transportation costs of factory-to-you, storage and energy costs once it arrives in your shopping locale, and hey, if they’re doing it at New York Fashion Week it must be stylish to recycle, right?

Reduce

Another cut-back this year was the typically lavish parties held by designers Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and Alexander McQueen. This year the lack of funds and increase in layoffs meant there was less to celebrate about. By keeping the excitement focused on the runway, these designers helped cut back on energy costs and excess waste that normally would have been consumed by hundreds of guests.

Reuse

Reusing on the runway? Is there even such a thing?! Apparently so, since New York Magazine reports that designer Frank Tell was hit hard when Swarovski couldn’t stomach the funds to support his 2009 creations, so he decided rather than limiting his collection he would reuse last season’s crystals.
This conscientious thinking has left us wondering; even though the recession is bad news for business, perhaps consuming less and reusing what we have is where high-end couture fashion is being forced to go. Once the economic tides have shifted and the world is once again spinning on its spending axis, maybe we will see the return of the couture culture, or maybe this is the kick that the fashion community needs to become more resourcefully minded.

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Image courtesy of Project Runway.

What I love about the country- open spaces, fresh air, ability to have a piece of grass at your doorstep, I founded a completely opposite love when it came to the city- the fast pace and noise, the trips to the grocery store that didn’t take a half an hour because you happened to rent your apartment above a convience store, and that you could walk for miles and miles and never be bored of the scenery.

It never really occurred to me that the country would be at stake and suffering for the development of the city’s infrastructure. (I don’t mean townhouses and skyscrapers being built outwards into fields).

The Greenbelt, which stretches from the Niagara Region, around Toronto, past the Durham Region, and also up into Keswick, is a protected area where many of Ontario’s fruit and vegetables are grown, where the wine region is situated and where much of Ontario’s natural beauty lies. The Greenbelt, in the past, has been used as a digging ground for sand, gravel and stone in order to build up the Greater Toronto Area. These substances, which are better known as Aggregate, are used to build roads, bridges, sidewalks and buildings.

According to the Toronto Environmental Alliance, torontoenvironment.org , and industry estimates, “the GTA will use about 1.5 billion tones of aggregate over the next 25 years”. This means that the beautiful countryside surrounding the GTA will no longer feature fields of grass and fresh air, but gravel quarry pits to fuel the development of the city.

It is possible to stop the hazardous practices that are happening to the outskirts of the GTA by practicing everybody’s favorite three ‘R’s : Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Asphalt can be reused to repave roads, building codes and road designs can be reduced to the previous 6.5 meter standard of the past rather than today’s 8.5 meter roads, and instead of mixing new concrete, crushed concrete can be recycled in construction projects and used first to reduce unnecessary materials.

To find out more and what you can do to reduce such waste in your surrounding city suburban area check out: torontoenvironment.org/gravel/recommendations.

Read more about the hidden – and best – places around the province of Ontario in Ron Brown’s book Backroads of Ontario.

Image courtesy of greenbelt.ca