Three steps we can take to slow climate change
May 11, 2024If the recent crazy weather hasn’t got you thinking about climate change, I don’t know what will. What with tornadoes in unusual places like Ottawa and Switzerland, forest fires and flooding in several Canadian provinces, it is clear that extreme weather is here. It can feel overwhelming and leave us with a feeling of despair. …
Eco-Anxiety is real….and what to do about it
August 21, 2022Dear readers, It has been a while hasn’t it? Given all the recent issues in the world right now, I haven’t had the energy or drive to write. Our world is experiencing unprecedented climate events such as fires on both sides of Canadian coasts, fires in California and all throughout Europe, flooding in New York…
Making soy milk from scratch
April 3, 2022In an effort to have a more vegan diet, I have recently switched from drinking dairy milk to oat and soy milk. I really only drink milk in my morning latte and with my oatmeal. It has taken me some time to get used to the taste, but now I can drink it without…
Do you need to be vegan to save the planet?
March 1, 2022On my sustainability journey, I have gone from focusing on “zero waste” to carbon emission reduction. Reducing my carbon footprint has meant reconsidering what I eat. It is estimated that approximately one quarter of the world’s greenhouse gases come from food production and I have read many articles indicating that eating vegan is the way…
Crisis? What Crisis?
August 27, 2021No, I am not referring to the 1975 album by the English rock band Supertramp but rather the climate crisis. It sums up how I believe many people in the Western world are reacting to the climate crisis. With nonchalance, a touch of surprise and denial. Or am I wrong on this? Is it…
My Favorite Homemade Cleaning Products
May 24, 2021One of the first major lifestyle changes of zero waste living is making your own cleaning products. Commercial cleaning products contain many harmful chemicals. Since I have a lot of allergies, it was often difficult to find cleaning products that did not cause me to feel ill. I did try some commercial, “natural” cleaners but…
Update on Zero Waste Dental Care
April 4, 2021Your average commercial toothpaste has a few issues. One, it is filled if a plastic tube made with multiple layers of different plastics, making it impossible to recycle it. Second, even though toothpaste is rinse only, commercial toothpastes often contain a range of chemicals such as fluoride, triclosan, carrageenan, sodium lauryl sulphate that are not…
Sustainable Socks
March 1, 2021In 2020, some of my socks and tights actually had so many holes that they could no longer be repaired. While I always go for second hand items when I can, socks and underwear are more of a challenge. Therefore, where to find socks, or more specifically, sustainable socks? And what does sustainable actually mean for…
New year, new goal: Low Buy Challenge
February 1, 2021How have you been coping with the COVID pandemic? I admit that I have been having a hard time and my 2020 consumption reflects that. Retail therapy, even secondhand, is not good for the environment. I ended up buying 27 items of clothing, including two linen dresses, three cashmere sweaters, two pairs of jeans, two…
Slow Furniture: Interview with Mireille Granger
January 12, 2021While most of you are already aware of the negative effects of fast fashion on the environment, have you considered the impact of its equally evil sister, fast furniture? Much like fast fashion, fast furniture is mass produced, low cost and generally poor quality, which means it ends up in landfill more quickly. Like many…