Greener.Ideal

3rdWhale: Green Business Directory, Green Living iPhone/iPod Touch App

Ian Andrew — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:04:05 +0000

Attention iPhone/iPod Touch users: a few weeks ago I raved about a new application in the iTunes App Store called 3rdWhale, and there’s good news because now it’s been updated with a paid version that includes even more features. Along with doing everything it did before, including being the best green business directory available, now it also has a feature called “Creative Solutions”, which features daily tips on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

If you’re like me and get a bit hesitant when you have to click that “Purchase” button for a paid app, you can feel good about doing it with 3rdWhale, as it’s a member of 1% For The Planet (and actually the first mobile developer to join in). 1% For The Planet does just what its name suggest: donates 1% of revenues to charitable organizations that help the world in one way or another. But 3rdWhale isn’t happy with just 1% - they’re aiming to chip in 25 cents for every app sold, which would then be split up among 5 non-governmental organizations, 3 of which you can help choose.

Although Earthshare and Natural Capital Solutions have already been selected as 2 of the 5 charitable organizations 3rdWhale will be donating to, from now until next Friday (July 10) you can nominate the charity you think they should choose. Submit your nomination either through Facebook or through Twitter.

Keep reading to see a few pictures of the App in action, and click here to go straight to the iTunes App Store and get your copy of 3rdWhale.

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Green Smart’s Solution to Neoprene: ‘Neogreene’ Laptop Sleeves and Bottle Totes

Ian Andrew — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:42:43 +0000

Here’s an interesting fact that many people probably don’t know: that black, stretchy material that makes laptop cases, knee wraps, and wetsuits is actually incredibly toxic, and has a huge negative footprint on the planet. It’s called Neoprene and is made with formaldehyde, lead, and chlorine which, when you think about it, are 3 things you don’t want to wrap your body in, or have constant exposure to.

Now that our culture is becoming increasingly aware of our exposure to chemicals, it’s time for an environmentally friendly solution to this problem, and the good people at Green Smart have come up with it: Neogreene. It looks and feels just like neoprene, except without any of the negative side effects of producing it, and using it. It’s made entirely of recycled materials, like plastic PET water bottles, contains no chlorine, lead, or formaldehyde, and can be made with 25% less energy than you’d need to make Neoprene.

The makers even take their commitment to a small eco-footprint even further with minimal packaging (only a recycled paper tag to list its features), and in using water-based dyes on the product itself.

Right now, the Neogreene products Green Smart has available are laptop sleeves and bottle totes, and they’re as fairly priced as they are stylish. Be sure to visit Green Smart today to check them out for yourself. And next time you see someone with a Neoprene wetsuit, laptop sleeve, or bottle tote, be sure to tell them about Neogreene!

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Dapple’s Baby Products Teaching ‘Green Cleaning’ on US Road Trip

Ian Andrew — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:25:39 +0000

Even if you’re not a germaphobe, anti-bacterial cleaning products should be any new parent’s dream come true. Whether it’s cleaning up spills, messes, or just making the counters sanitary, baby-safe cleaning products are a necessity. Now Dapple, the makers of all different kinds of environmentally friendly baby-safe cleaning products, are taking a trip across the United States with 50 stops along the way to help raise awareness about being clean while being environmentally responsible at day cares, summer camps, play centers, and everyday homes. The best part about this trip is you can help decide where they go in each city. Go right here to see the preliminary list of scheduled stops, then tell the organizers where in your city is the best place to go, and you could win a ton of free baby-safe, green cleaning products. If the city you live in isn’t yet chosen as a stop on the road trip, you can still check out Dapple products and keep your babys clean and green by visiting the official Dapple website.

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Toronto’s Garbage Strike and the Environment

Ian Andrew — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:31:46 +0000

Toronto’s garbage strike has only been going on for a week now, but after yesterday’s gay pride parade and a weekend full of tourism, the streets are starting to fill up with garbage. As you can see by the picture to the left, most people ignore the signs asking to refrain from littering, and after a rainy day the gutters are full of it too. But what does extra garbage laying around mean to the everyday person? More than you might think.

For starters, what is all of this junk leaking into our soils? When there’s nowhere for the garbage to go, people will start dumping it anywhere, including green spaces in their own neighbourhoods. Even though it may seem like a long shot to find hazardous chemicals being dumped, something as simple as a CFL light bulb could mean mercury seeping into the ground. If you suspect anything hazardous has seeped into soil around your home or neighbourhood, be sure to contact the Ministry of Environment Spills Action Center (416-325-3000).

Harmful chemicals aside, we should really be asking ourselves where this garbage went before the strike. When there’s garbage pouring into the streets after only a week, it really shows the amount of disposable materials our city goes through. And how much of that is actually necessary? I would wager to say less than half.

While many people view the issue of the garbage strike as one about fair labour rates, we should really be speaking to the issue of living in a throw-away culture. Try and use this garbage strike as a way to learn more environmentally friendly practices. Make your own vermicompost (simple instructions here), or find uses for materials that you’d otherwise be chucking out. These small steps can add up, and it may just be this unfortunate event that can bring it to the attention of Toronto’s population.

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House of Representatives Pass Obama’s Historic Climate Change Bill

Ian Andrew — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:39:26 +0000

As a follow up to yesterday’s post on the historic climate change bill proposed by President Obama and many other notable US Democrats, the House of Representatives voted in favour of adopting the new standards which would limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions to 17% below what they were in 2005 by 2020. Although there is a lot of support behind this cause, it still has to make its way through the Senate, and many Republicans are still pushing back against it for fear of its effects on job creation. Here’s what Al Gore had to say on the subject:

The American Clean Energy Security (ACES) Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation Congress will ever pass. This comprehensive legislation will make meaningful reductions in global warming pollution, spur investment in clean energy technology, create jobs and reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

The next step is passage of this legislation by the Senate to help restore America’s leadership in the world and begin, at long last, to put in place a truly global solution to the climate crisis.

We are at an extraordinary moment, with an historic opportunity to confront one of the world’s most serious challenges. Our actions now will be remembered by this generation and all those to follow – in our own nation and others around the world.”

Be sure to do your part and join RePower America, and be sure to show the Senate that you care about the passage of this bill.

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Barack Obama’s Climate Change Bill, “American Clean Energy and Security Act”

Ian Andrew — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:52:31 +0000

Despite many Republicans’ statements that environmental action undermines economic growth, Barack Obama and a group of Democrats have been trying to pass a historic global warming bill called the “American Clean Energy and Security Act”. The bill is being voted on today and, if passed, would set standards for greenhouse gas emissions to be 17% lower than they were in 2005 by 2020. So what’s the big problem that Republicans are finding with this? They see it only as an additional tax, in that the cost of energy is likely to rise significantly, and this may result in a slower rate of job creation. However, President Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi both argue that the bill will in fact create millions of jobs in the clean energy sector, and help the United States bounce back from the economic difficulties it has been through in the past months. Hopefully the vote later today will set the US on a green path towards 2020.

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MLB Winds Up To Go Green And Hits It Out Of The Park

Ian Andrew — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:16:53 +0000

As we’ve seen already with the NBA and NHL, professional sports teams and facilities have a pretty significant carbon footprint, but many of the teams’ owners and operators are starting to do something about it. This year, the MLB is putting into place a handful of new guidelines for its teams and facilities to produce less waste, conserve water, reduce energy, increase public transit use to the games, and educate the fans who swarm to the park every week. Some of the teams who jumped on board early are the Washington Nationals who have a Silver LEED Certified park, the Pittsburgh Pirates who recycled over 33,000 lbs of plastic, and the Seattle Mariners who compost all of their organic waste. It’s one more reason to make it out to the ball park this summer, so hop on your public transit, and stay as green as possible.

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Sears Tower Getting $350 Million Retrofit

Ian Andrew — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:01:42 +0000

Chicago’s world-famous Sears Tower is about to get a big makeover - a $350 million retrofit to be exact. The 1,450 foot tall tower is getting a green overhaul this year to start cutting major costs by reducing its electricity consumption by a whopping 80%, and water consumption by 40%. The other overhaul it’s getting is its name: the Sears Tower will soon be the Willis Tower for one of the building’s new tenants, insurance broker Willis Group Holdings. So how is it going to cut back all of its energy and water usage? By replacing all 16,000 of the single pane windows, installing gas boilers, modernizing the building’s 104 elevators and 15 escalators, installing solar water heaters, and putting automatic lighting dimmers in the offices. This retrofit is definitely setting a great example in Chicago’s skyline this year.

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Nike’s Beat Gasoline Rewards Environmental Athletes

Ian Andrew — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:41:14 +0000

There’s a new incentive for doing good for the planet, and it’s coming as part of Nike’s Beat Gasoline campaign. The sports company wants athletes to take a great idea about being eco-friendly while still being athletic, and make a video of it and upload it on the Beat Gasoline website. Every week at least one winner will be chosen and awarded an awesome prize pack including a bike, shoes, clothes, and more. Or if you’re not the video type, you can just upload a photo and have the chance to win a Global Giving Card. Best of all, the idea doesn’t just have to do with beating gasoline - it can promote outdoor activity and the environment in any way. The first winners are being awarded tomorrow (June 26th), so be sure to check out the official Beat Gasoline website and see what kind of competition is out there.

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Green Dining Best Practices Make Restaurants Sustainable, Efficient, and More Profitable

Ian Andrew — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:32:23 +0000

Since most restaurants don’t have the capabilities to power their kitchens with used oil (yet), they might be able to take advantage of a new set of ‘Green Dining’ Best Practices developed by the Environmental Defense Fund in conjunction with Restaurant Associates. The practices were put in place at two restaurants and they paid off big time. Not only did the ‘Green Dining’ practices save over $85,000, they also cut 275 tons of carbon pollution and 60 tons of landfill waste. If you’re part of a restaurant that you think could benefit from instituting some of these basic practices, be sure to check out the Environmental Defense Fund’s Green Dining guide, and learn how to purchase sustainable foods and make your facility more sustainable through cutting chemical usage, using energy efficient appliances, and recycle and compost as much as possible. If it could save two restaurants $85,000 in one year, it’s definitely worth a shot.

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Maya 300 and AltCar Launch in Baltimore, Maryland

Ian Andrew — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:29:52 +0000

Although California is usually the state that leads the pack in environmental actions, Maryland isn’t so far behind thanks to Baltimore. The city, with help from the Maryland Science Center and Exxon Mobile, has just launched an electric car share and rental program called AltCar. It’s a great idea for tourists of the city, or if residents find they could use the system almost as often as a regular car, they can buy a membership either for their household or business. Another unique part of the AltCar program is the type of car being used: the Maya 300. The fleet of Maya 300s are part of Electrovaya, a small Canadian company who is making a big move into the electric vehicle business. To help promote the new car sharing experience, the Maryland Science Center also opened a new energy efficient exhibit with hands-on activities to teach kids about being green. AltCar launches today, so be sure to try it out if you’re in the area, and let us know how the Maya 300 drives.

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Fisker Karma Sunset Plug-In Hybrid Wins N.American Concept Car Award

Ian Andrew — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:27:17 +0000

Designing a car that’s hot enough to win the Concept Vehicle of the Year award is no small feat, but to do the same with a plug-in hybrid is a truly green accomplishment. The Fisker Karma Sunset was selected by a jury of more than two dozen automotive journalists as the car that was most likely to shape the future of the automotive industry. The Sunset shares many similarities with the Fisker Karma, which is currently slated to be the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be commercially available - but only the Sunset is a hardtop convertible coupe. The Fisker Karma Sunset will be available in 2011, but if you want to get your order in early, Fisker is already accepting downpayments. Sign up here to be first in line.

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Go Ahead, Eat Your (Eco-Friendly) Toys

Sue Kupka — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:02:51 +0000

Sue Kupka is the eco-Fairy Godmother behind Toronto’s Pistachio stores, and is using her expertise in all-things-green for a weekly column on Greener Ideal.

As the mom of a 7 month old girl, I am now reaching the stage where my daughter learns what something is by putting it in her mouth. Yup, touch is no longer the only way for her to determine what objects are – she has to taste them too. From her feet, to the cat’s tail, you can find it in her mouth. Of course, her little arms can only hold things for so long and it is inevitable that whatever she is holding will get dropped on the floor. So we are in the market for durable toys. Of course the most obvious option is plastic toys, but what is safe to buy these days when it comes to plastic?

In Saturday’s Globe & Mail, an article detailed what to look out for in plastic toys. The big thing for us new (and old) parents to be aware of is – PHTHALATES – I am putting it in bold in the hopes that this word will now jump out at you when reading through the ingredient list of plastic toys. It is pretty scary stuff what this ingredient can do – and rather than gross you out with all the medical things, just know you should avoid it so as not to make it easier for cancer to grow, or other abnormalities to occur in your DNA as a result of long term use. (Phthalates are among the most common chemicals added to plastic, making it more pliable and less brittle. They are also found in cosmetics and other personal care products.)

So what is a new parent to do? What do I do to satisfy my infant’s desire to eat all and not have things shatter on my floors? Enter Green Toys, and Sprig Toys. These are my new best friends and not only entertain my daughter but my husband as well.

Green Toys are made in the USA and created out of recycled materials that come from the USA, so no energy is wasted in transporting materials around the globe. Plus, the toys are made from recycled milk containers. Each pound of recycled milk jugs used saves energy equal to 3000 AAA batteries. That’s the same as the amount of energy used to power your TV for 3 weeks, or the amount of energy used to run your laptop for a month! They also create toys that incorporate green concepts to kids. For example, they don’t just make regular trucks, they make a recycling truck for kids to play with, along with their sand play set (great for the cottage) and their tea set for all those tea parties this summer.

Sprig Toys are just as cool and these keep the young boys as well as the older ones (yes, husbands too) entertained. Sprig Toys are made with recycled wood and reclaimed plastic. They don’t use harmful paint and keep packaging to a minimum. They have 3 series of toys, eco trucks, eco adventures and Sprig Hollow. Their toys encourage play with lights that turn on the more the toys are played with. They smell like wood chips and actually breakdown in landfill – so cool!

I feel better now that I know what I can buy my little munchkin versus being on guard against all that is harmful. I am saying yes to a better choice versus no to everything. A much more positive stance. Hope this helps you too!

See you soon!

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Plastic Bead Washing Machine Uses 90% Less Water

Ian Andrew — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:58:02 +0000

Although there are undoubtedly handfuls of people who won’t believe it ’til they see it, the first ‘virtually waterless’ clothes washing machine has been invented, and is almost ready for public consumption. The brilliant invention, created in conjunction between Xeros and Cambridge Consultants, is based around a discovery made by a Professor at the University of Leeds which proved certain types of polymer plastics could be used as a cleaning agent. What makes the waterless washing machine even more impressive, besides using 90% less water for every load, it also uses 30% less energy, less detergent, and it takes even less time to clean. Plus, since there’s no need to tumble dry, every load takes less and less energy after the wash is done. Even though you can’t find this at your local appliance store just yet, Xeros plans to have a commercially viable version of the eco-friendly invention available by 2010.

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Hybrid Buses Still Too Expensive For Mass Market

Ian Andrew — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:05:55 +0000

Here’s some bad news for public transit enthusiasts: a fuel efficient bus isn’t going to be driving past your stop anytime soon. Even though each hybrid bus uses around 20-30% less fuel than a traditional vehicle of the same size, the bus makers aren’t selling many of the vehicles at all. Not thousands, or hundreds, and in some cases, they aren’t even selling dozens. Without a push from the government, hybrid buses won’t ever be in huge demand, at least not enough to replace an entire fleet.

Unfortunately, this news is enough to turn bus-makers off for good. In fact, Solaris and Man, both European bus manufacturers, have abandoned all investments into hydrogen technology, and are simply waiting until purely electric vehicles are viable.

Is it better to wait for the real environmental answer, or should we be meeting these environmental inventions mid-way down the road?

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RiverSimple Urban Hydrogen Powered Car

Ian Andrew — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:01:53 +0000

While almost everyone’s attention has been focused on what’s going on with automakers in North America, there’s been some big developments going on across the pond as well. On Tuesday afternoon, a new hydrogen powered car dubbed the RiverSimple was unveiled in London, and it’s stats are pretty impressive. It can reach speeds up to 50 mph, can travel 240 miles without refuelling, holds a passenger and a driver, weighs only 772 lbs, and may be ready for mass market consumption by 2013. But unlike other hydrogen vehicles, this one won’t be for sale. The RiverSimple will be available only to lease, but drivers will receive maintenance, support, and fuel packages as their driving habits require. If the vehicles are taken care of properly, estimates suggest they could last for 20 years. Even though it won’t be out for a few years, this might be one of the first answers to eco-friendly urban transport available to our cities.

Photo credit: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

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