green at home

Green at Home

10SIMPLE WAYS TO BEa greener parent today

harvestFall recipes that warm the soul

20 items you can reuse in your

home

talks sustainability environmental education

Steven Hill&

cosying upinsulating your home for winter

Inspiring Ideas for Everyday Living Fall 2011

CAN $4.89

COMPACT AND VERSATILE

“North America’s Number 1 Electric Car”

-Consumer Reports

$14,700-$15,575

Photograph by Laura Gosselin www.ecoautoninja.com/eco-electric-vehicles/zenn-electric-vehicle-for-under-10k/

Cover photograph by Simfonic.DeviantArt.comFood photographs by StockFood Munich, AK@Swell Vegan, Alice Currah, and Wokwithray.com

Green Clean • Exposing ‘green’ cleaning products20 Things to Reuse in Your Home • You didn’t even know they were recyclableCozying Up • Insulating your home for winterEnergy Efficiency • This month we take down the kitchenDIY Rainbarrel • Save water while supporting cancer researchDIY Squash Bowl Birdfeeder • Seeds are getting scarce!Grow Local • Easy backyard gardening

GREEN AT HOME | FALL 2011 2

Photo Contest • Fall fun in Peterborough CountyMeet the Expert • Trent University Pro-fessor Dr. Steven Hill opens up about the state of environmental education10 Ways to be a Greener Parent • A few small things that you can do to decrease your ecological footprintThe Great Diaper Dilemma • We show you that being environmentally friendly can save you moneyKids Corner • Safe and easy finger paintHow Green Are You? • Brush up on your environmental knowledge

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Stephanie Reeder is a mother of one who works full time as an Environmental Consultant, specializing in waste management. She also is a freelance writer who enjoys providing information from her personal experience for making parenting more eco-friendly.

Christine Anderson is a journalist writing for several magazines including Green at Home, Canadian Living and Macleans. She was recently awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her expose on the decline of bees. She lives in Halifax with her husband, 2 children and their dog Tank.

Matt Pawson is an Environmental Entrepreneur specializing in designing and developing eco-friendly products and materials. In his spare time, Matt advises people on how they can renovate their homes to become more efficient. He also enjoys calm evenings in his boat hunting for freshwater monsters.


• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Contributors

Caitlin Rochon is the Environmental Outreach Co-Ordinator for the County of

Peterborough. She works with the local school boards and community groups to create

environmental education programs for all ages. She lives in Lakefield with her husband and

dog Hannah .

Nadine Suliman is an Environmentalist who loves nature. She

transforms everything she sees into a sustainable item, including her own house. Her passion is art and gardening which she infuses

into her green practices everyday.

Caitlin Perry is an Environmental Specialist in Waste Management for the

Ministry of Natural Resources. She has achieved her BA in Environmental & Resource Studies

and MA in Sustainability Studies at Trent University. Caitlin is a mother of 2 and enjoys

camping, running, playing hockey and painting in her spare time.

Bailey Campbell works as a nanny and a field biologist. Most likely rubber boot clad, she can often be found gallivanting in nature with her

basset hounds and her kids. She hopes to some-day own a waterfront cabin out in the country.

Second Place Leaves in Wilberforce

Shot just north of the Kawartha Lakes, this photo is a perfect fall landscape.

Shot by Mike Irwin.

Honourable MentionGreat Yellow Birch

Shot by Sheryl Hunter.

Third PlaceFirst Snowing Sunset

Shot in late fall, this photo is a sunset after the first snow. The artist described it as the

sun saying goodbye for the winter.

Shot by Keri Blanchard.

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Fall photo contest


Fall photo contest

And the Winner is

Leaves in Burleigh Falls

This picture was snapped this fall when four month old

Lexi Gwen had her first experience with

crunchy fall leaves.

Shot by her mother Stephanie Reeder.

View all entries atwww.greenathome.ca

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Eco friendly and natural!Cleaning your home

Want to reduce the amount of chemicals and harmful toxins you’re using in your home? Not only can using cleaning chemicals be harmful around your family, but using them can be very bad for the environment. Use some of these easy and affordable recipes to clean your home. Not only will your house be cleaner and more environmentally friendly, but these meth-ods are much more affordable for your family to use!

All purpose cleanerMix vinegar and add 1 teaspoon of salt to every 500 mL of vinegar used. Pour into any extra spray bottle you have laying around your house.

This natural and very cheap cleaner will clean and work well on any surface, however acid in the vinegar may cause the varnish on wood products to fade. You can use it to clean surfaces in the kitchen and bath-room. If you need a deodorizer, add a bit of baking soda to the cleaner.

Crayon mark cleaner

If your kids love to colour with crayons in places they aren’t supposed to, put some toothpaste on a damp cloth and scrub the area. This will work on tables, countertops and on the floor. Try not to use it on a wall because it may ruin any wallpaper or paint.

Scratch RemoverIf you have minor scratches on surfaces such as glass, tables and ceramic, mix equal amounts of vegetable oil and lemon juice in a reused container or bottle. Simply rub the scratches with a cloth until they are gone.

Window cleanerMix water and vinegar into any extra spray bottle you have lying around your house. Add a little bit of dishwashing soap to the mixture which will give you a streak-free shine on any window or mirror! For an extra shiny window, clean with a piece of recycled newspaper instead of a cloth.

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When using these products, its best to use a rag or old cloth rather than paper towel. This will allow you to re-use the rag as many times as possible, eliminating waste.

Removing Grease SpotsImmediately pour salt on the grease spot of any fab-ric. Use enough salt to cover the entire grease spot. This will absorb the grease to prevent it from stain-ing, as dabbing it with water will not help at all.

Toilet Bowl CleanerSprinkle baking soda into the bowl. Drizzle with vin-egar and scrub with a toilet brush. This combination both cleans and deodorizes. DO NOT mix with store-bought toilet cleaners. The combination of the two will create toxic fumes (Not to mention be worse for the environment).

Pots and Pans ScrubInstead of throwing coffee grinds in the trash, place a bit in a pot or pan and scrub with a rag. This will clean all the grease a food off of your pots without needing abrasive toxic cleaners! Good to be used on pots, pans, grills, electric griddle, or any dish that is not absorbent so that you don’t end up with brown stains.

Natural Deodorizer (3 options)1. Place partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room.

2.Boil 1 tablespoon of vinegar in 1 cup of water and place in the kitchen to eliminate kitchen odours. Vin-egar has a very strong smell, which is why many peo-ple dilute it with water.

3. Baking soda is excellent for absorbing odours. Many people put it in their fridge or kitchen.


20 Ways to Reduce and at Home!

Doing fall cleaning and finding stuff around the house that you don’t need anymore? Instead of throwing them in the garbage, try reusing them for something else! Waste disposal has become a huge problem in the last few decades. Canada is aiming for a culture of “zero waste” which can be done by reducing the amount of waste we create, reusing the stuff that we have, and recycling or compostng most of our waste. This is important for reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Here are some simple ways you can help out with the Zero Waste challenge with reusing these things around your house!

Saving plastic shopping bags- Reuse these for garbage bags or for shopping. Since the 5cent tax was put on plastic shopping bags in most places in Ontario, Don’t see why you wouldn’t want to save them! Purchasing the cloth reusable bags from stores is an even better choice!

Reusing paper- Instead of sending scrap paper out in the recycling, simply just cut it up into small pieces instead of having to buy memo pads.

Margarine or cream cheese containers- works just like any Ziploc container-except it’s FREE!

Old curtains and fabrics- Can be cut up and used for cleaning rags.

Birthday and Christmas wrapping paper- Can be reused for next year, or used for decorations.

Reusing newspaper and magazines- They work well for wrapping paper for birthdays, as well as mak-ing fun collages.

Lumber-Extra or used wood can be used in woodcraft for making objects such as small tables, bird houses, spice racks and much more.

Old yard debris- Such as leaves, lawn cuttings and woods chips work as a natural fertilizer and add nutri ents to your soil!

Egg cartons- use to start seedlings.

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Aluminum foil- judge whether it is clean enough to reuse again instead of throwing it out. If you put something like bread in side of it, you should be able to just dust off the crumbs and reuse it.

Paper- Use the back for scrap paper or shred it. Shredded paper is excellent for packing material for shipping gifts or moving.

Baby Food Jars - Can be used as candle holders or for storing small foods such as seeds and spices.

Toothbrushes - Great for bathroom scrubbers or scrubbing stains out on clothes.

Old Jeans- Cut up and sewed together make great pot holders because of the thick material.

Dish Soap Bottles- When thoroughly cleaned, they are great for squeezing pancake batter (or any food that can be squeezed out). This can make cooking much more convenient and cleaner!

Socks- Can be used to relieve pain by stuffing some rice in it, tie it up and then put it in the microwave for a minute. Put the warmed sock on an aching area or lay on your neck for extra warmth on a cold night! Make sure you check how hot it is first to avoid burns and heat rash.

Shoe Box- Great for storing any odds and ends in!

Milk Bags- Once finished with your milk bags, clean them out and cut open the top. These can be used for small baggies instead of needing to buy Ziploc.

Coffee Grinds-Rub some grinds through your hair, then rinse to add anatural softness and shine. Also, using them on your face work well as a natural facial scrub. Not recommended if you dislike the scent of coffee, since it may leave a light coffee smell in your hair/on face.

Coffee Grinds- By placing them in your garden or walkway, this will work to deter bugs, slugs, cats and mostly all small pests away from your garden area. The smell and abrasive surface will keep them away, make sure you reapply after it rains.

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select insulation that’s good for the planet and your health

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As you may already know, having good insu-lation is critical for an energy efficient home. Proper insulation can save you a fortune with heating and cooling bills. What you may not know, however, is the most common, commercially available insulation can be harmful and you probably don’t want it any-where near the air you breathe. Some even believe that these widely used insulations can contribute to cancer, asthma, and many other health problems.

One’s to be weary of…

Fiberglass

The most common insulation you will find in North America is fiberglass. It is often pink or white and has been connected to black mold, is difficult to work with and remains the cheapest choice in today’s market.

The issue with fiberglass is that it is almost identical in structure to asbestos bringing with it similar health concerns. Tiny fiberglass particles can break off and become lodged in your skin, eyes and lungs, forming abrasions that can lead to irritation.

For these reasons it is strongly recommended that long sleeved clothes, gloves and a masks are worn during the installation process. Furthermore, the fiberglass particles can potentially remain suspended in the air for years after the insulation is complete.

Cellulose

Cellulose insulation is basically shredded newspaper that is installed by drilling holes near the ceiling and spraying it between studs. This method is cheap, effective and easy to install but does leave an eye soar where plugs are inserted.

Many people are under the impression that because cellulose is recycled newspaper it’s eco-friendly. This is not the case. Yes, the newspaper is recycled, however, the paper is highly flammable, creates dust, attracts pests, absorbs moisture, and may form mold. Also, in order to prevent dust from entering your living space or moisture reaching the insulation, a plastic barrier should be installed. Each of these additional factors prevent cellulose insula-tion from being 100% eco-friendly.

Cozying Up


One’s to consider…

The green materials market is expanding and insulation options are being developed that are more environmentally safe and responsible. The methods below are options that every environmentally con-scious homeowner should consider when installing or re-installing insulation. The two types, cotton den-im and sheep wool, are do-it yourself projects that are quick and easy to install.

Cotton Denim

Most of the denim used to manufacture insulation is recycled from textile factories or old jeans that are no longer wearable; scraps that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

Denim threads are mechanically separated from each other into single cotton strands. In some cases other cotton fibers are included in the preparation and the strands are then treated with boric acid. Boric acid sounds scary, but is not any more toxic than table salt. It is also fire, insect and mold resistant.

Advantages

Denim installs quick and easy requiring no special equipment or protective clothing. It’s a home renovation that all members of the fam-ily can partake in.

Disadvantages

Denim insulation is very costly compared to the conventional fiberglass option. If it comes in

contact with moisture its insulating properties will be lost.

For consumers trying to go green, you will have to consider the cost of transportation as not every city has denim insulation factories. However, it is important to keep in mind that progression in the green movement may eventually decrease these costs and product demand could increase the number of factories.

Ultratouch

One particularly good brand is UltraTouch Denim Insulation. It is made from high quality natural fibers that act as extremely efficient sound absorbers and provide maximum thermal protec-tion. UltraTouch has no fiber-glass itch and does not contain

chemical irritants. UltraTouch is a Class-A building material that meets the highest standards for fire and smoke rating, fungi resistance and corrosiveness. UltraTouch contains 80% post-consumer recycled natural fibers making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to use a high quality sustainable building ma-terial.

UltraTouch installation is very user-friendly, as the batts have perforated edges allowing for quick and easy off-size cavity installation. It’s as simple measuring, tearing and fitting!

Sheep Wool Insulation

Wool has long been known as a material that maintains its warmth even when wet. Wool is a crimped fiber that gives it greater loft. The loft

Cozying Up“Unless you live where you never have to use

heat or air conditioning, insulation needs to be an important part of

your home”

creates millions of tiny air pockets and these pockets contribute to most of the insulating. Trapping air in pockets slows the transfer of temperature from one side of the wall to the other. The loft creates millions of tiny air pockets and these pockets contribute to most of the insulating. Trapping air in pockets slows the transfer of temperature from one side of the wall to the other.

Advantages

Wool fibers are highly efficient at trapping air while being completely natural. Wool has a unique moisture control mechanism and requires very little input into its production.

There are many other advantages to sheep wool which include: non-flammability (wool natural-ly extinguishes flame and does not support combus-tion); improved air quality (does not give off formal-dehyde, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide instead it absorbs it and breaks it down); does not settle down-ward over the years; maintains insulation properties when wet; is easily installed. Most importantly wool has a rapid environmental payback as it requires 85% less energy to manufacture than traditional fiber-glass.

Disadvantages

The only disadvantages are its high cost and need for transportation, as it is not locally available in many areas. Otherwise, this method is the defini-tion of green, eco-friendly insulation and provides a great alternative to traditional options.

What makes aproduct green?

• Does the product contain renewable or recycled materials?• Does the product contain materials that could decrease air quality in your home?• Does the product settle or migrate. In other words, will it stay where it was installed or will it settle over time?• Is the product manufactured locally and were raw materials obtained from local resources?• Life expectancy – how long will it function effectively?• Can the insulation be recycled when it reaches the end of its productive life?• Is the product naturally flame resistant and has it been treated for non- flammability? If so, what was it treated with?• Cost vs. efficiency – what is the cost of applying the product to a desired R- value• Pay back time – how long does it take for the installed product to compensate for the environmental impacts of manu facturing it? How long will it take for the insulation to pay for itself?• How will the insulation react to moisture?• Does the product attract insects and rodents?• How effectively does it decrease sound?

Choosing the right insulation for your sit-uation and proper installation can go a long way in decreasing the energy required to keep your home at a stable temperature. Some insulation products are dubbed as eco-friendly because of their excellent insulation qualities, however, they are manufactured from materials that are poten-tially harmful to humans and the environment. There is a difference between completing a job that will make your house greener after the in-stallation and a job that uses an environmentally friendly product at the same time as making your house greener. The impact of insulation should be analyzed at each phase of their life to deter-mine overall environmental impact. Be sure to consider the pros and cons to each of the prod-ucts as mentioned above before making your fi-nal decision.

“Wool fibers are highlyefficient at trapping airwhile being completely

natural”

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*Habitat for humanity is a national, non-profit organization working together to provide affordable and safe homes for low in come families across Canada

*We have provided 1,800 families with home ownerships, and the In-ternational program has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved over 500,000 houses worldwide.

*Your donation will help provide less fortunate families with a safe home!

Peterborough & District 161 Sherbrooke StreetPeterborough, Ontario

K9J 2N2

Email:www.habitat.caPhone: (705) 750-1456

Energy Efficiency in the Kitchen

Now that days of picnics and barbecues are behind us, many of us will be hunkering down in our kitch-ens, preparing food for the upcoming winter, espe-cially holiday goodies. This is a good time of year to start thinking about your energy use in the kitchen and what you can do use less energy, save money and help the environment. Kitchen energy use is a major part of the average home’s electricity bill. If it is about time for you to replace any of the major appliances in your kitchen, making these purchases before the snow comes can save you or the delivery staff frostbitten fingers and a messy drive.

While fixing older appliances keeps them out of landfills, if repairs cost more than half the price of a new appliance, it is usually better to buy a new one. There have been serious innovations in energy effi-ciency in the past 10 years. A new appliance may be up to 75% more efficient than one bought in 2000.

When disposing of old appliances, do some re-search into how you are going to get rid of it. There are many programs such as the Ontario Power Au-thority’s “ Great Refrigerator Roundup”, which will provide you with assistance in removing the appli-ance, and recycle it rather than tossing it in a land-fill.

Energy Star: When choosing a major appliance, looking for Energy Star labels can help you narrow down your search. Appliances with an Energy Star label have met certain energy efficiency guidelines set out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-cy to allow consumers to easily identify products which use less energy. Energy Star labels can also be found on lightbulbs, heating and cooling sys-tems, televisions, computers, windows, doors, and new homes.

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Fridge1998 Standard: 1044 kWh, $105/yr2008 Energy Star: 387 kWh, $39/yrDifference: $66/yrDifference over lifetime of fridge (17 yrs): $1118

Replacing an old fridge will give you the best bang for your buck in terms of ener-gy savings. In many homes, refrigerators are the big-gest consumer of power, accounting for up to 15% of electricity use. Modern fridges use half the energy of those made in 1990. If you choose an Energy Star rated model, it must be at least 20% more energy effi-cient than what is required by federal standards.

Important things to con-siderSize: A fridge that is too big wastes energy cooling un-used space. A fridge that is too small and overcrowded is inefficient to cool. Review the amount of space you typically need and the size of your kitchen before deciding which fridge to buy. Energy Star rated fridges are available in all shapes and sizes. When measuring the space where the fridge will go, allow for 5-7 cm around the sides, top and back of your fridge. Good airflow around the fridge will allow it to operate more efficiently.

Temperature control: Separate temperature controls for the fridge and freezer portions will give you more control of the amount of energy your fridge is using.

Design: Having the freezer at the top is more energy efficient than having it on the side. Consider whether you really need extra features like automatic ice and water dispensers. They need a lot more energy for a fairly unnecessary reason.

Usage: -Open the door to your fridge as little as possible. -Allow food to cool before putting it in the fridge.-Periodically clean your fridges condenser coils (see your use manual).-Position it away from heat sources such as heating vents, sunny windows, dishwashers and ovens.-Check the seals periodically. Place a flashlight inside the fridge and close it. If you can see light, it’s time to replace the seals on your fridge. -Set temperature at 2C-3C for maximum efficiency.

Freezer1998 Standard: 658 kWh, $66/yr2008 Energy Star: 334 kWh, $33/yrDifference: $32/yrDifference over lifetime of freezer (21 yrs): $681

While not everyone needs freezer space beyond that of what comes with a standard fridge, freezers are particularly useful for families, and for preserving food from a local market or your own garden (or all three!). A standard sized freezer must be at least 10% more energy efficient than what is required by fed-eral standards to qualify for an Energy Star rating. A compact freezer must be at least 20% more energy efficient than what is required by federal standards to qualify for an Energy Star rating.

Important things to considerSize: Again, it is important to consider how much you will use your freezer and choose one that will not be too large or too small. Allow space for airflow around the freezer to maximize efficiency.

Design: Chest freezers are more efficient than upright freezers because very little cold air escapes when you open them. Automatic defrost freezers will use more energy than those with manual defrost.

Usage:-All usage tips for fridges applies to freezers.-Fully defrost your freezer once a year to improve ef-ficiency.-Particularly if it is in the garage, basement or other low traffic area, vacuum dust from behind and under-neath your freezer regularly. -Set temperature at -18C for maximum efficiency and food safely.


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Stove1998, non self-cleaning: 786 kWh, $79/yr2008 self-cleaning: 691, $69/yrDifference: $10/yrDifference over lifetime of stove (18 yrs): $171

There is a relatively narrow range of energy efficiency in stoves. All stoves are quite energy efficient thanks to insulation and tight fitting seals and hinges. Be-cause of this there is no Energy Star rating system for stoves. Usage is what will make the biggest difference in the energy efficiency of your stove.

Important things to considerStyle: There are sev-eral different kinds of burners to choose from. Induction and halogen burners are more energy efficient than conventional burners.

Insulation: While self-cleaning ovens use more energy during their self-cleaning cy-

cles, overall they are more energy efficient because they are built with better insulation for protection during extremely high temperatures. During ev-eryday cooking, this means the oven is more evenly heated and less heat can escape.

Exhaust fans: Consider whether this feature is truly necessary in your home. If it is, consider that during the winter, a powerful exhaust fan will also exhaust some of the air you have already paid to heat, causing your furnace to work more.

Usage:-Pre-heating is unnecessary except for baking. When pre-heating, 10 mins should suffice.-Turn off the oven a couple minutes before you are done cooking. The retained heat will finish the job. -Don’t open the door very often while cooking. As much as 20% of the heat in the oven can escape. -Choose a pot that will just cover the burner you are using. A pot that is too big will take much longer to heat. A pot that is too small will allow heat to escape around the sides. -Flat pots and pans will use heat from the burners more efficiently.-Turn down the burner a bit after water is already boiling.-Check the seals periodically. Place a flashlight inside the oven and close it. If you can see light, it’s time to replace the seals on your oven.

-Use smaller appliances like microwaves and toaster ovens to cook small quantities of food. -Use an internal thermometer to avoid under or over-heating your oven.-If you have a self cleaning oven, run the clean cycle sparingly (once or twice a year), as it is energy inten-sive. Turn on the self-clean cycle immediately after cooking to take advantage of the built up heat.

Dishwasher1998 Standard: 1026 kWh, $103/yr2008 Energy Star: 339 kWh, $34/yrDifference: $69/yrDifference over lifetime of dishwasher (13 yrs): $894

Energy Star rated dishwashers use much less hot wa-ter than a conventional dishwasher. Choose a dish-washer with a variety of wash cycles, particularly a “light” energy saver cycle. Surprisingly, dishwashers are more energy efficient than hand washing. A full load in a dishwasher will use much less hot water, and only a small amount of power to run the machine.

Important things to considerStyle: There are 3 styles to choose. Built-in dishwash-ers are permanently attached to your homes water and electricity. Portable dishwashers are not perma-nently connected. Compact dishwashers, both built-in and portable, have a capacity of less than 8 place settings. A compact dishwasher is more efficient for singles and couples, while a standard size dishwasher is more efficient for families.

Technology: Modern dishwasher can be equipped with sensors that can calculate the water temperature and cycle length needed to clean each load. This can reduce both water and energy use. Also, a dishwasher with a delay timer can allow you to take advantage of low cost off-peak energy by running in the middle of the night.

Heating: Dishwashers with built in heaters can re-duce the cost of heating water.

Usage: -Clean the filter regularly for maximum efficiency. -Run the dishwasher only when it is full.

-Don’t use a dry cy-cle. Open the dish-washer and air or towel dry. -Don’t rinse dishes before placing in the dishwasher unless absolutely neces-sary. Scrape food off or let your dog lick the plate.


Honourable MentionsWhile none of these appliances are going to be the big bank breakers, little differences can accumulate and make a big impact.

-Water cooler: The best way to save energy would be not having one at all. A jug of tap water in the fridge can provide you with the same refreshment with no extra cost. If this is something you can’t do without, an Energy Star rated water cooler will have use less than 0.16 kWh/day.

-Light bulbs: When your light bulbs burn out, think about replac-ing them with Com-pact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) or LED lightbulbs. Although they cost more up front, they consume up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times lon-ger. Note that CFLs contain mercury, so you must be careful about breaking and disposing of them.

-Coffee Maker: Brewing your own coffee is much more energy effi-cient than driving to Starbucks or Tim Hortons. A french press coffee maker doesn’t require any electricity at all. While there may be a negligible differ-ence between the energy use of other electric coffee mak-ers, it is more im-portant for reduc-ing your footprint

to avoid cheap coffee makers that are not designed to last. Also reusable filters made from unbleached cotton or stainless steel can help you reduce waste.

-Kettle: Energy efficient kettles are those that help you use them less. Choose a kettle that allows you to easily see and measure the amount of water inside so that you don’t boil more water than you need. A well insulated kettle will keep the water hot longer, reduc-ing the number of times that you need to re-boil the water. A temperature gauge will allow you to know when the water is still hot enough to use, again re-ducing the number of times that you need to re-boil the water.

-Microwave: Smaller microwaves are generally more energy efficient than larger ones. Microwaves use 1/3 of the energy of a conventional oven, so re-heating your leftovers in the microwave will help you save electricity. If you don’t need the clock, unplug your microwave when you aren’t using it to reduce the phantom power load.

-Do you need it?: Many kitchen utensils have been electrified unnecessarily. These are the sorts of things your aunt buys you for Christmas when she doesn’t know what else to get you. Not only do these appli-ances waste electricity, they take up a lot of space in your kitchen when items you already have can be used for the same purposes. It’s ok to have a couple, but beware of packing your drawers with these re-dundant appliances. Some utensils that do not need to be electric: can opener, wine opener, jar opener, bread maker, sandwich maker, rice cooker, juicer, deep frier, egg cooker, knife.

Disclaimer: How you use your appliances is equally as important as which appliances you own. Behaviours like running the dishwasher with only 2 plates in it and constantly leaving the freezer door open are incred-ibly wasteful, even if you have Energy Star appliances. Being mindful of your energy use can have a big impact on your energy bill.

Sustainable, locally sourced products and ideas to helpyou embrace a greener lifestyle.

378 Aylmer Street, Peterborough 705.745.3238

• kyoto coffee• beeswax candles• culinary herb blends• petroleum-free baby balm• rain barrelssustainable stationary• garden products• cleaning products

• reclaimed wood cutting boards and candle holders• certified organic herbal tea blends• stainless steel containers & litterless lunch supplies• handmade all natural soaps, salves and balms

“Cryptoquote”“Zpt qezocolz ol fgz zpt dqf vpg lqnl

zpt koctk ol rokzn. Zpt qezocolz ol fgz

zpt dqf estqfl xh zpt koctk.” - Kgll

Htkgz

In this quotation, each letter is uniquely and randomly coded. In the example, P is used for the three As, T for the Rs and so on. The code changes each time. Example:

P P T X B P T QA A R D V A R K

See page 51 for answer

D I YRA I NBARRE L

• Rainwater is free of the additives (e.g., chlorine and fluoride) in tap water that plants don’t need or want. Rainwater is also slightly acidic, helping plants access soil nutrients. • Rain barrels can divert a limited amount of storm water, reducing strains on urban creeks and storm systems.• Rain barrels can reduce strain on municipal water, it can be used to wash your car, water your lawn, and play with your kids.

Why?

How?RainBarrel.ca products require minimal assembly and typi-cally require no tools and less than a minute to put them together.

1) Ensure the ground beneath the rain barrel is firm and level. You may want to consider using a patio stone as a base. 2) Cut the downspout 4 to 6 inches above the top of the barrel. To cut the downspout we recommend using a hacksaw. 3) Install a short flexible pipe or a downspout elbow onto the cut downspout to direct water into the top of the barrel4) Keep the remaining portion of the downspout so it can be reconnected when the rain barrel is winterized.5) Run the overflow hose either back into the drain or into a nearby garden.

Simply place the rain barrel filter basket under a downspout and connect a garden hose to the bottom ball-valve spigot. Some people prefer to elevate their rain barrel by placing them on cement blocks to increase pressure resulting from gravity. One end of the T-shaped overflow adaptor is closed and can be opened to allow a second rain barrel to be connected in series.

Maintenance includes clearing debris from the filter basket on occasion. Before winter the rain barrel should be discon-nected, emptied, and stored inside.

Look for a truckload sale at a location near you on rainbarrel.ca. This company recycles olive barrels and outfits them for use as rain-barrels. Get yours for $50. A portion of the proceeds go towards cancer research.

Operating Instructions

Sustainable, locally sourced products and ideas to helpyou embrace a greener lifestyle.


It’s beginning to get chilly out and natural food supplies for birds are running low. Birds that overwinter are soon to be looking for reliable food sources for over the cold season. This might not be an easy task! Why not help the birds out? Using the directions on this page, you can make your own feeders that are bird and environment friendly! Put the feeders in your yard to attract birds all season long.

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DIY Squash Bowl Birdfeeder

This time of the year, squashes of all different kinds are being harvested locally. Head to the farmers market to buy one for this project. While you’re at it, you can get one for your dinner too. When the birdseed is gone, either refill the

squash or compost it. The birds may also eat the flesh of the squash.

In a saucepan, melt the peanut butter and lard to-gether.

Stir in the birdseed and other food ingredients.

Pour the suet mixture into the squash bowl feeder.

Now you can hang it from a tree branch. It’s ready to be eaten!

Using a kitchen knife, cut the top off of the squash so the center is large enough for birds to reach into it.

With a spoon, scoop out the insides of the squash and set them aside to eat later. Now you have a squash bowl.

Near the top of the squash use the hammer and nail to make a hole through one side of the rind. Do the same on the other side.

Thread the string from the outside of one hole through to the outside of the other hole.

Tie the ends of the string securely.

•

•••••

1 Round shaped squash (acorn squash and pie pumpkins work well for this)A kitchen knifeA spoon1 Nail A hammerString or yarn

Of mixed birdseedCrunchy peanut butterLard Quick cooking oatsCornmeal or oat branFlourSugarSaucepan and wooden spoon

¾ cup½ cup½ cup

1 cup1 cup

½ cup¼ cup


For the feeder::

For the suet:

You teach a main component of the Intro to environmental sciences and studies program at Trent University. Many of your students will continue their studies in other disciplines. What are some of the key points that you want these students to take away with them for the rest of their lives? I have many good friends in the environmen-tal field that would spend a lot of their time thinking about how to organize discussions on environmen-tal issues. One of the big things that environmental activists and groups do is educate and it is certainly an important role in promoting environmental ac-tion. When you have a couple hundred students that are going to be in the room every week twice a week mentally captured, you can instill a sense of eco-logical literacy and sense of desire to do something about these issues.

For all the students who are not pursuing en-vironmental sciences or studies this is a great oppor-tunity and maybe their only chance to learn about these things. If they remember some little snippet, maybe the idea of an ecological footprint or climate

change, or maybe that the GDP is not always as green as we think it is. If they remember that go-ing forward in their lives they’ll have that point as a basis of departure, and its important because they will end up doing lots of interesting things in their lives and careers and having this knowledge of the environment is important in all kinds of decision making.

We spend a lot of the course learning to think critically about environmental issues, so we’ll talk about the idea of an ecological footprint and then critique it. For instance, a couple years ago Dr. Magda Havas was involved in the course and we had a debate about wind energy in the class and asked ‘Is wind energy good or bad?’ and we do that to make it clear that these issues are not easily solved but they do exist. One of the things that’s important from that critical standpoint is to remind students that the problems are exceedingly challenging and they require significant innovation for their resolution. It’s not just industry that’s bad, or we don’t just need to recycle more or buy less, they’re complicated is-sues.

Many people believe that Ontario’s elementary environmental education program has poor structure. A lot of the time the amount of envi-ronmental education the child receives is based on the individual teachers’ interest. In what ways have you begun talking to your children about sustainability?

Well, in different ways. They’re little and we certainly talk about it but I think they are getting a lot of information at school about climate change and environmental issues. To be honest I think it’s a pretty heavy burden for kids to have to think about this stuff, I didn’t have to worry about climate change when I was growing up. And so, in some ways I shel-

Meet the expert...Steven Hill

Steven Hill is an associate professor of Environmental & Resource Studies at Trent University. His work involves understanding policies and actions for preventing climate change. He was born and raised in Ontario but spent nearly a decade studying and working in Alberta. His background spans a range of fields including business, environmental science, chemical engineering and biol-ogy. He plays a prominent role in the Peterborough community where he lives with his wife and three children.

25

ter them from all this, we talk about injustice and some environmental issues and they know that I do a lot of work in this area so they are certainly aware. I’m on the board of Peterborough Green Up and there’s a staff person that organizes ‘Car Free Wednesdays.’ I usually walk my kids to school but one day we were running late so I was going to drive them and my son said to me ‘Dad, its car free Wednesday!’ Even for university students I think there is a big psychological component to growing aware. So how do you remain optimistic with a fairly pessimis-tic subject? My wife calls my bookshelf the ‘doom and gloom’ and it is a fairly pessimistic subject area but there is reason for optimism. So we started by say-ing the environmental curriculum doesn’t have much structure to it but really it has improved quite a bit from when I was a kid. They’re exposed to all sorts of ideas, they go on neat field trips, they get the op-portunity to experience nature in different ways then I did when I was a kid. We have big environmental programs in universities now, we’re graduating envi-ronmental professionals, and their going on and get-ting jobs and making a difference. Many of them may go on to become teachers.

It’s important that children gain an appreciation for the environment whether it’s a canoe trip at Algonquin or camping in the back yard. How have you helped your children gain an apprecia-tion for the environment?

It is hugely important, that’s where your love of nature is developed. You can worry about environ-mental issues without having a strong connection to nature, but I think it’s harder. Richard Louv has written this book ‘Last Child in the Woods’ and it re-ally talks about getting kids outside and the idea of ‘greening’ school yards. There’s a big movement to-ward getting away from the traditional pavement and soccer field and turning those areas into something that resembles more of a natural habitat in part be-cause it creates an urban ecological system but also because it gives the students a chance to get into a re-semblance of nature. In places like downtown Toron-to children will never have that opportunity, so that’s where those school yard naturalization programs are important. School yard naturalization is not wilder-ness, but it is a natural setting. You don’t have to go to Baffin Island for a four week ski trip, it’s just as important to go to Jackson Park and go for a hike. For my Introduction to Environmental Sci-ence/Studies program we do a field study where re-ally we just walk around the tree plantation up on the drumlin behind Lady Eaton College. It’s a really beautiful spot and yet without study many of these

Steve’s PickLast Child in the Woods has spurred a national dialogue among educators, health professionals, parents, developers and conservationists. This is a book that will change the way you think about your future and the future of your children.

“Last Child in the Woods isn’t an exercise in nostalgia. Mr. Louv provides plenty of evidence

to back up his core contention.” —The Wall Street Journal

“The simplest, most profound, and most helpful of any book I have read on the personal

and historical situation of our children, and ourselves, as move into the twenty-first century.” —Thomas Berry, author of Dream of the Earth

“An honest, well-researched and well-written book. . . The first to give name to an undeniable

problem.” —The Atlanta Journal


students would never make their way up there in four years. There’s actually a lot of evidence coming out in the literature saying that from an academic stand-point the students who are choosing a ten minute walk in a natural setting will do better on tests than the students who spend their time beforehand in an urban setting. There’s something restorative about it being in a natural environment.

What steps have you taken to decrease your en-ergy consumption or become more sustainable?

I took the bus today and I ride my bike as much as I can. I still drive and have two vehicles. I really try to avoid flying although I did fly twice this summer for the first time in many years. Transporta-tion is a big thing that I try to think about a lot. The other is my house, it’s about 120 years old and moved in four years ago. We have done a few energy efficien-cy upgrades, we invested money that will never pay off in terms of the energy savings to insulate the attic and insulate parts of the basement that’s above the grade. We also replaced the furnace from a 23-year-old piece to a high efficiency one and replaced the hot water tank as well with a high efficiency system. So those are not things that are particularly tricky or in-novative, it’s not solar panels or geothermal heat sys-tems but they are fairly easy to do and they have cut our natural gas consumption by 45% and our elec-tricity consumption by 15%. Now we have to come up with other ideas of what we can do to reduce the electricity further.

What are a few steps that you would recommend for someone who is just getting started on their own path to sustainability?

Don’t do things for the environment just to do things for the environment, riding your bike is

actually enjoy-able, it slows you down, and helps you stay fit. You have to find other rea-sons to do these things too be-cause although it’s good to be green and sus-tainable you’ll just stop doing it if its wearing on you so you want to take steps that are actually going to lead you to a better way of life. For example, one of the benefits of us insulating our house is that it is far more com-fortable, it was freezing the first year and we used a lot more energy heating the house, but now it’s really quite pleasant so that alone makes it worth it. On the cycling side, the trip I went on this summer was to Copenhagen to do some work and it’s a beautiful city, and forty percent of the people bike, every day. It’s been a sustained investment by the government over the last 20 years investing in the bike infrastructure, dedicated bike lanes that are separated from the road. I rented a bike while I was there instead of a car and I asked while I was renting if there were helmets, the person looked at me and said well no, you could get one I suppose but you don’t really need them. Even riding on the downtown streets, you feel entirely safe and it’s a really nice way to get around. Young people go down to the clubs on their bicycles with a bottle of wine out the front basket. So they don’t bike be-cause they’re trying to be environmentally friendly, they just do it because it’s a lot easier and far more enjoyable. As a people, we really don’t make changes for the polar bears or the butterflies, I keep cycling because it is more pleasurable for me.

27

“You don’t have to go far in Ontario to have the adventure of a lifetime. Our Ontario Parks system offers a

world of opportunity, natural beauty and cultural heritage for you to enjoy.”

- Linda Jeffreys Minister of Natural Resources

Wildlife viewing . Swimming Fishing . Camping . Conoeing Biking . Kayaking . Portaging

2012 Summer Parks Guide available at

www.ontarioparks.com

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Recharge those batteriesAll batteries contain heavy metals – and being that about 3 million find their way to landfills every year, reusing can help. Buy rechargeable batteries and dis-pose of them at a licensedfacility.

Paint it GreenIf you are repainting your child’s room or your new babies nursery, but sure to choose low-VOC paints. Try Benjamin Moore’s Aura.

Turn Down the HeatAlthough some advice you may receive for your new baby is keep the house warm, reduced heat has been shown to lower the risk of SIDS. Keeping your house at a lower temperature (18°C instead of 22°C), clos-ing off and not heat the rooms you aren’t using, and installing a programmable thermostat all help lower your heating costs and emissions. If your little one is feeling a bit cool, a second layer of clothes is all she needs.

An Eco-Birthday BashDon’t give into the plastic goody bags full of cheap plastic toys – make a craft during the party that the kids can take home with them. And why not use plas-tic patio dishes that can be washed instead of dispos-able plates? Lastly, how about an e-vite - it’s a quick and convenient way to avoid using paper invitations.

Go to the LibraryToday you can borrow both books and movies from the library. This way when your child gets tired of a book or movie, you can just go get a new one.

Say it with PlantsHouse plants not only make a nice gift for a new baby, they also purify your house – a green way to absorb the pesky carbon emissions and toxins that might be floating around your home!

Renewable EnergyAlthough not available in all areas, some areas have renewable energy sources. If so, make the switch. This will help ease the pain of the 25 percent in-creased energy usage of a new baby.

Don’t Throw out the Bath waterIs a daily bath really necessary? A bath once every three days is all children need and this will save you up to 6,000 gallons of water per year. When you do bath your baby, you can use the bath water for laun-dry (if you have a top loader), in the garden (if you use pure bath products), and to rinse out your diaper covers.

Cleaner and GreenerThe average family can spend up to $600 per year on chemical laden cleaners. Make your own natural cleaners instead.

How many sleep-deprived parents does it take to change a light bulb?Since you will be getting up all hours of the night with a new little one at home, you will be reaching for a light switch more often. Why not try compact fluo-rescent bulbs? Remember though, they have mer-cury in them, so recycle properly when they expire.

An alarming statistic: North Americans comprise of 5 percent of the global popula-tion but use 25 percent of the global resources. Here are a few tips that can help to reduce your impact on the environment – without depriving your children or adding to your everyday busy schedule.

greener parent today

10 ways to be a


The average child will go through 5,000 dia-pers in two and half years, prior to being potty trained. This equates to about 1.7 million diapers per year in Canada alone. Disposable diapers are more conveni-ent, but end up in landfills; cloth diapers seem to cost so much more, at least initially. The following infor-mation should help you make an informed decision when choosing between cloth and disposable diapers.

Disposable Diapers In a study completed by the Ontario Office of Waste Reduction (a section of the Ontario Minis-try of the Environment, 1992), it was shown that 15 percent of the municipal solid waste stream, after the removal of blue box items and yard waste, is disposal diapers. In addition, Environment Canada (1990) re-ported that diapers are the third largest single item, after newspapers and beverage and food containers, in the municipal solid waste stream. In total, diapers equate to about 250,000 tonnes of garbage in our landfills per year. Environment Canada also report-ed that it takes approximately 1.1 million trees or 440 football fields and 1.7 million barrels of oil per year (4600 barrels/day) to make disposable diapers. Also to consider is the energy and by-products used and created to produce disposable diapers. As reported in an independent study completed by Lehr-burger, Mullen, and Jones (1991), the production of single-use diapers uses 37 percent more water, con-sumes 70 percent more energy, and emits more nox-ious gases such as dioxins and furans, than the pro-duction of cloth diapers. According to the 2005 Life cycle Analysis completed by the British Environment Agency, this equates to a global warming impact of about 550 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents during the 2.5 years of diaper use for just one child.

Several studies published by cloth diaper companies, indicate that disposable diapers are the cause of bacterial infections which cause diaper rash-es. It is reported that since disposable diapers can hold up to seven pounds of fluid and mask the fact that they are wet, it is more likely the diapers are not changed as regularly as they should. Although no in-

dependent studies have conclusively shown this, The Diaper Decision, published by the Toronto Board of Health in October 1990 stated the following: Numer-ous studies have failed to show that diaper rash is any more common in healthy babies using cotton diapers. Babies may however get a rash from the perfumes in some disposable diapers. The cost of disposable diapers varies from $900 to $2,400. The $900 is for a generic store brand diaper (Kirkland; Costco); $2,400 is for eco-friendly gDiapers. These diapers are reusable cot-ton pants with disposable inserts. Other eco-friendly disposable diapers available include organic and bio-degradable Seventh Generation diapers and gel free Tushies; these diapers will cost more than $1,900 for the diaper life of your child.

Cloth Diapers Typically cloth diapers are made of some combination of cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp, polyes-ter, and small amounts of spandex. Although some of these products contribute to deforestation and crude oil mining as disposable diapers do, a cloth diaper will last for at least 2 children and up to 5 years. It can also be argued that the bulk of the materials used for cloth diapers are renewable, sustainable, and if the organic products are used, also reduce the use of chemicals such as pesticides.

Similar to disposable diapers, the production of cloth diapers must be considered. Although less

The Great Diaper DilemmaCloth and Disposable Diapers Face Off

31

water and energy are used dur-ing production, there is a greater volume of air emissions produced. In addition, during the life of a cloth diaper, there is a significant amount of water and energy used to clean the diapers. Depending on the style and efficiency of the washing machine used, to care for cloth diapers for one year it re-quires between 4,000 and 13,000 litres of water, that’s 40 to 130 bathtubs full of water. If you live in an urban centre this same amount of water must be processed by the wastewater treatment plant. A d d i t i o n a l l y , depending on hot or cold wa-ter washes, between 18 and 450 kilowatt hours of electricity will be used for one year of washing cloth diapers and 500 kilowatt hours per year to machine dry your dia-pers – that is the same as leaving 2 – 60 watt light bulbs on in your home for an entire year. Accord-ing to the 2005 Life cycle Analysis completed by the British Environ-ment Agency, during the produc-

tion and life of cloth diapers, a global warming impact of about 370 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents occurs opposed to 550 kilograms caused by the use of disposal diapers for the same time period, assuming the diapers and washed and dried efficiently as possible.

The costs for cloth diapers varies significantly. A more eco-nomical pre-fold style with wa-terproof covers will cost between

$300 and $400. If you purchase a more convenient all-in-one diaper like the bumGenius Elemental diaper, this will cost be-

tween $600 and $900 for a set of 36 diapers.

Also to consider is the laundering costs. With a high efficiency front loader, you will spend 19 cents per load for cold wash and 34 cents per load for hot. This equates to between $20 and $35 per year. If you use a top load washer you will be spending

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The average child will go through

5,000 diapers in two and a half years


These costs are only estimates and will vary-ing depending on the efficiency of your machine, the cost of water and sewer, and the cost of electricity. Although the preferred option is to dry your cloth diapers on a line (yes, even in the winter), the cost of machine drying the diapers should also be considered. Assuming it will take one hour to dry a load of diapers, this will equate to approximately $50 per year. In total this equates to $140 per year or $350 for two and half years to wash and dry your dia-pers.

So....

In summary, cloth diapers are typically go-ing to be your more sustainable, cheaper option. The following table shows that the production of cloth diapers has a lower impact to water and energy re-sources, produces less harmful air emissions, and has a lower impact on deforestation and crude oil min-ing; the waste from cloth diaper use is minimal; cloth diaper usage and production has a lower carbon foot-print; and cloth diapers generally cost less, especially if you compare to a more eco-friendly disposal dia-per. Even though the arguments herein point to-wards cloth diapers, it is important to point out that the British Environment Agency 2005 Life cycle Analysis determined that if you use atop load washer, wash your diapers using hot water and dry your diapers even 20 percent of the time by machine, this is the same as using a dispos-able diaper and throwing them in a landfill (increased carbon footprint to over 550 kil-ograms). In addition, if you use such products as chlorine bleach, you are adding toxins to the envi-ronment. An updated study done in 2008 actually determined those people not using best practices to wash and dry their cloth diapers were actually con-tributing to 75 percent more energy usage than dis-posable diaper users.

Keeping this mind, it is important to use ‘green’ prac-tices when caring for you cloth diapers. The follow-ing are some helpful tips:

1. Buy cloth diapers made of organic, sustainable resources.2. Ensure your wash loads of diapers are full.3. Use a high efficiency front loading washer; wash your diapers with cold water and hot rinse only (to sterilize).4. Line dry your diapers whenever possible.5. Use a dry diaper pail; don’t soak your diapers in water.

If you use these few simple tips, your cloth diaper usage is sure to be more ‘eco-friendly’ than us-ing disposable diapers; however, if you still prefer the convenience and ease of disposable diapers, choose a more environmentally friendly option such as gDia-pers or Seventh Generation diapers.

Happy diapering!

Disposable Cloth

Sustainable Products

Some Most

Waste 5,000 to 6,000 diapers

in 2.5 yrs

36 diapers in 5 yrs (assuming two

children)

Water Energy Air

37 % ↑ 70 % ↑

Dioxins and Furans

More (less toxic)

Carbon Footprint 1,210 lbs 814 lbs

Cost $900 - $2,400 $650 - $1,250

33

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Trail Stats

LENGTH: 8.5 km DIFFICULTY: •• ACTIVITIES: Hiking & Walking, Running, Cycling – Roads & Paths CHARACTER: Natural, Rail Trail, Scenic SURFACE: Paved, soil SEASONS / HOURS Year-round

Trail Stats

LENGTH: 8.5 kmDIFFICULTY: • •ACTIVITIES: Hiking,Walking, Running, CyclingCHARACTER: Natural, Rail Trail, ScenicSURFACE: Paved, soilSEASONS: Year Round

For more information, including maps, please visit our Web site at www.trentu.ca/academic/trailstudies

Rotary Greenway Trail


DirectionsMix together the flour, water, and salt in a bowl until a thick paste is formed.

Divide paste into three or four ziplock bags.

Put a few drops of food colouring into the bags with the mixutre.

Seal the bags and mush the contents until the colour is mixed in.

Kids can make their own colours of paint this way.

All ready, paint away!

You will need:

1 cup cold water

1 cup flour

2 tbsp salt

Food colouring

idsornerKSafe &

Easy Finger Paint

Local is a flexible term. It starts with growing or producing your food at home! But generally speak-ing, buying local means buying food that is grown or produced in your immediate community (village, town, city or county), then from any community within the same province or state, then it can be by buying from your own country or region. It is fair to say that local means starting with as close to home as possible and it supports a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly food system.

Mostly, local produce can be expanded not only to food, but also to other items that can be produced locally such as clothing items, artifacts, furniture, and more. But if we just focus on local food, it starts with fruits and vegetables, then different kinds of seeds, nuts, herbs and flowers, then to various meat and dairy products, and finally to all other types of foods.

The main point for making, growing, or buying local food sustainable is the fact that “it supports farmers’ communities and hence local communities”.


It supports local farmers finan-cially and there-fore it boosts local economies. More-over, growing and buying local food means support-ing the environ-ment by reducing transportation, processing and packaging of food and other prod-ucts and thus re-duction of oil and gas transmissions emitted due to transportation (if not buying local). Further, large food processors use a lot of plastic for packaging to keep the food fresh for longer periods of time which is almost impossible to reuse or recy-cle. In Peterborough and its surroundings, there are many places where you can buy local produce. For in-stance, there are bi-weekly farmers’ markets such as Peterborough Farmers’ Market and Stamford Farm-ers’ Market and monthly ones such as Oundle Farm-ers’ Market. Also, the Peterborough City Market that is open for consumers 5 days a week and many farm shops throughout the city and its surrounding areas. Some supermarkets do sell local too (defining local as within 50 kilometre radius from the store).Local products in Peterborough satisfy all sorts of

customers such as meat-lovers, vegetarians and vegans. Food available in Pe-terborough range from all different kinds of vegeta-bles, fruits, beans, and mushrooms, to all that is need-ed of meats and dairy products. Furthermore, all different varia-tions and prefer-ences can also be

found such as fresh, dried, frozen, packaged, pickled, preserved, and even cooked foods.

Growing some of the food that you need by yourself can be the next step up. It can be done in your own farm, garden, backyard, balcony and even indoors. Some crops are better and easier to grow than oth-ers such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, pumpkins and zucchini. Also, there are several easy methods that everyone can do on their own and they can be learned by books, through the internet, professionals, farm-ers, or by others who have tried some methods be-fore. “Indoor food growing is the new thing!”

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We know how people are living in smaller places now and many of us live in apartments, but still, if you like or want to grow some of your favourite produce, you can do it in the comfort of your own home. It is as easy as buying sprouting jars with mesh lids or ny-lon sprouting bags and having some space with a fair amount of light in your apartment/home. According to one guest on the Martha Stewart Show, you can grow sunquat, dwarf papayas, coffee, tree tomatoes and cinnamon. Other suggested produce that were tried and showed to be feasible to grow indoors are lettuce, tomatoes, different herbs, sprouts, pineapple guava, bananas, and dwarf citrus fruits. On the other hand, outdoors (in your farm, garden, backyard, or even balcony), various crops can be grown and suc-cessfully give you good produce. There are many starter kits sold at department stores for growing your own indoors or outdoors fruits, herbs and veg-etables!

Isabella Juanitos, a 32 year old working mother who lives in Peterborough maintains a fruit and vegetable garden in her backyard as well as an indoor herbal garden. Isabella said “My kids and I have lots of fun everyday when it’s cooking time, they became my lit-tle produce experts and better yet VEGETABLE AND FRUIT LOVERS”. Isabella also added that she has never tasted more flavourful produce before, and if it weren’t for the winters she wouldn’t have to buy from the store anymore. “It is not as time consuming as it may seem, as long as you know your fruits and vegetables, anything is possible”. She start-ed 4 years ago with a few of her friends as a hobby and now they have taken it up as a part of their nor-mal daily routine. The joy of smelling fresh herbs in the morning and seasoning your food with what you desire is priceless, says Isabella.

The downside to buying and growing local mostly is that it is confined with the location and the season. Many fruits, vegetables, beans, and herbs are sea-sonal can only grow at certain locations in the world because they require different sunlight amounts, hu-midity levels, soil types, water quantities and compo-

sitions, and different growing periods and durations. Further, many crops are seasonal, that is, can grow in certain seasons and not others (unless bought not-local and from other locations where its their season there). Also, certain meat and dairy products can be only be found at certain not-local places, hence can only get them from a not local source.

Buying local can start with certain products or can be just with certain items. Or even, one can adapt to the availability (according to location and season) of the produce he/she wants. It all depends on the per-son, “how local do you wanna go?!?” Moreover, the next step of growing some of the pro-duce that you need can be a further step to becoming a local-consuming-person. Buy local, grow what you need, yes indeed!


Serves 4Preparation time 20 minutesCooking time 40 minutes

Peeled & seeded butternut squashYellow onions peeled & coredLarge apples Olive oilSaltFreshly ground black pepperChicken stockCurry powder

Scallions: white & green parts, slicedFlaked sweetened coconut, lightly toastedRoasted & chopped cashewsDiced banana

3 lbs22

3 tbsp½ tsp½ tsp

3 cups½ tsp

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

•••

DIRECTIONS

Preheat over to 425 degrees F. Cut squash, apples and onions into 1-inch blocks. Then place on pan and toss in olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Split squash mix-ture between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 30-40 minutes until tender.

In the meantime, heat chicken stock to a simmer. When vegetables are done, place them in batches in a food processor on medium speed. Add chicken broth and coarsely puree. When vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make it thick. Add curry powder for spice, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Taste for seasoning and serve hot with condiments on the side or on top of each serving.

fallharv e s t

INGREDIENTS

CONDIMENT INGREDIENTS

43

BEET, AVOCADO, AND APPLE SALAD WITH JALAPENO

VINAIGRETTE

Roasted beet, peeled and dicedAvocado, dicedApple, dicedWalnuts, roughly broken into piecesGoat cheese crumbledJalapeno pepper, mincedJuice from 1 lemonTahiniExtra-virgin olive oilToasted and crushed coriander seedsSea salt and freshly ground pepper

11½

¼ cup

½

½ tsp3 tbsp¼ tsp

DIRECTIONS

Combine the beets, avocado, and apple in a bowl. Whisk together jalapeno, lemon juice, ta-hini, olive oil, and coriander and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drizzle dressing over the salad and garnish with walnuts and goat cheese.

••

Serves 4Preparation time 15 minutes

DIRECTIONS

Place carrots in pot with water and cover. Boil until car-rots are semi-soft. Drain water and set aside. Mix dress-ing and syrup in saucepan and cook on medium until mixture is bubbly, add carrots until mixture thickens. Add butter, stir until melted, add pecans. Serve hot.

Baby carrotsKraft catalina dressingMaple syrupButterPecan chunks

MAPLE GLAZED BABY CARROTSServes 10Preparation time 5 minutesCooking time 25 minutes

•••

2 pkgs ¼ cup¼ cup1 tbsp½ cup

harv e s tINGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

FALL FRESH MEAL IDEASProduce and meats used in these recipes are all in season, grown locally and in some cases organically. Products can be purchased at the Peterborough Farmer’s Market or directly from the farm. The Farmer’s Market runs every Saturday all year from 7am to 1pm at Morrow Park.


en tr e e sINGREDIENTS

Uncooked rigatoni pastaFresh basil leavesOlive oilFresh squeezed lemon juiceLarge green olivesPine nutsLocally produced goat cheese

3 cups3 cups3 tbsp

1 tsp5

½ cup½ cup

FRESH BASIL PESTO AND GOAT CHEESE RIGATONI

INGREDIENTS

Boneless, skinless chicken breastsChopped appleShredded Cheddar cheeseItalian-style dried bread crumbsButterDry white wineWaterCornstarch Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

APPLE STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

2½ cup t tbsp1 tbsp1 tbsp¼ cup¼ cup

1 ½ tsp1 tbsp

•••

Serves 4Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 10 minutes

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, blend fresh basil leaves and olive oil. Add olives and lemon juice, blend. Add pine nuts and blend until mixture is smooth.

Empty mixture into bowl, add goat cheese and stir until well mixed.

Boil water and cook pasta to el dente. Strain and leave in pot. Transfer pesto and goat cheese mixture into the pot with cooked pasta. Stir together until pasta is well coated in pesto and cheese mixture. Serve hot.

•••

Serves 4Preparation time 20 minutesCooking time 25 minutes

DIRECTIONS

Combine apples, cheese and bread crumbs and set aside. Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to ¼ inch thick-ness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.

Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and ¼ cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Combine 1 tbsp water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley.

finish it off......

45

en tr e e s

Large very tart apples, cored, sliced and peeled (peels on is okay!) Golden raisin Granulated sugar (or less if you have sweeter apples) Light brown sugar, packed Cinnamon Nutmeg Cornstarch Butter, sliced

INGREDIENTS

Boneless, skinless chicken breastsChopped appleShredded Cheddar cheeseItalian-style dried bread crumbsButterDry white wineWaterCornstarch Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Put all ingredients except butter, into crock pot; stir well, coating all apple slices, and place slices of butter on top.

Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours OR cook on low 3 1/2 to 4 hours, stirring once half way through.

Serve and enjoy!

61 cup1 cup¼ cup1 tbsp

1/8 tsp3 tbsp4tbsp

APPLE STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

DIRECTIONS

Combine apples, cheese and bread crumbs and set aside. Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to ¼ inch thick-ness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.

Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and ¼ cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Combine 1 tbsp water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley.

BAKED CINNAMON APPLES

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4Preparation time 10 minutesCooking time 2-4 hours

•••

For more recipe ideas visit www.greenathome.com/recipes

finish it off......


1.When the batteries in your flashlight die, you

a) Stick them back in the rechargerb) Toss them in the kitchen garbagec) Set them aside for the next trip to the depotd) Smile smugly because your flashlight is solar-powered

2. While brushing your teeth, you

a) turn the water offb) run just a trickle of waterc) blast the water out of the faucet, because it clears the pipes

3. In the summer, you water the lawn (If you don’t have a lawn, pick what you would do)

a) four or more times a week, just a bitb) two or three times a week, a decent amountc) once a week, a good soakingd) no extra watering - it can fend for itself!

4. If you saw, or when you do see, dandelions peek-ing out from your lawn, you say

a) “Honey, hand me that DDT”b) “Get the digger - I gotta get me some roots”c) “Doesn’t bother me”

5. Grass clippings at your house or building area

a) bagged and left at the curb on garbage dayb) raked up and put in the composterc) left lying all over the lawn

6. You own which of the following things

a) fluorescent light bulbsb) composter

c) cloth shopping bagsd) post-consumer paper goodse) blue boxf) grey boxg) low-flow showerheadh) green cleaning products

7. You actually use which of the following things

a) fluorescent light bulbsb) composterc) cloth shopping bagsd) post-consumer paper goodse) blue boxf) grey boxg) low-flow showerheadh) green cleaning products

8. Spring azure, pearl crescent and buckeye are

a) Butterfliesb) Heritage-seed daisy varietiesc) Milk-paint colour namesd) Environmentally friendly fish lures

9. Households in Canada generate a total of approxi-mately how much garbage and recyclable stuff every year?

a) 50 million tonnesb) 100 million tonnesc) over 150 million tonnes

10. Of that amount, how much does recycling and composting divert from landfill?

a) 5 per centb) 10 per centc)25 per cent

how greenThink your environmentally friendly? take this quiz and find out what impact your really making -- and how you can cut back.

47

are you?11.Let’s say you replace a standard 75 watt light bulb with a 20 watt compact fluorescent bulb. Over the life of the bulb, you’ll save

a) $25b) $40c) $55

12. The average household produces how much toxic waste (paints, pesticides, cleaners, prescrip-tions, batteries) per year?

a) 35 litresb) 50 litresc) 85 litres

13. Every person in Canada uses how much water a day?

a) 150 litres in winter; 200 litres in summerb) 200 litres in winter; 275 litres in summerc) 350 litres in winter; 450 litres in summer

Answers on following page


1) When the batteries in your flashlight die

a) 8 pointsb) 0c) 8 pointsd) 10 points

Never throw batteries in the garbage! That’s pure poison going right into the ground, with no chance at special treatment. Save them up for local Environ-ment Days, or take them to a responsible retailer like Battery Plus, which collects batteries for recy-cling.

2) While brushing your teeth, you

a) 10 pointsb) 5 pointsc) 0 - you wish to clear the pipes, call a plumber!

3) In the summer, you water the lawn

a) 0b) 0c) 10 pointsd) 10 points

A good one-inch soaking of the lawn once a week is best, particularly with a soaker hose, and early in the morning. This will minimize evaporation and en-courage root development.

4)When you see dandelions on a lawn

a) 0 - in fact, use of any pesticide in this situation earns you 0 pointsb) 10 pointsc) 5 points

While it’s admirable that you don’t reach for the weed killer, if you allow dandelions to thrive and go to seed on your lawn, they’ll spread over to other lawns whose owners might just use some really hor-rible chemicals to stop them.

5) Grass clippings are

a) 0b) 3 pointsc) 10 points

In this case, laziness rules: leave the clippings where they fall so they’ll return nutrients to the soil.

6) You own which of the following things

a) through h): 5 points for each

7) You actually use which of the following things

a) through h): 10 points for each

8) Spring azure, pear crescent and buckeye

a) 10 pointsb) 2 points - wrong answer, but points for knowing about heritage-seed programsc) 2 points - wrong again, but points for recognizing milk paint as eco-friendlyd) 0

You can attract these butterflies by avoiding syn-thetic pesticides and by planting the right things. Contact the North American Native Plant Society.

9) Households generate how much yearly?

a) 0b) 10 pointsc) 0

10) How much is diverted from landfill?

b) 0b) 0c) 10 points

Canada’s goal is to divert 50 per cent of all residential waste form disposable by recycling, which saves natural resources and energy, and reduces the need for landfill.

11) Switch a standard 75 watt light bulb with a 20 watt compact fluo-rescent bulb

a) 0b) 0c) 10 points

0-50: Oh dear. You must read this entire magazine, take notes and really make an effort to inject something green into your lifestyle. The fact you took this quiz at all is a hopeful sign.

51-100:Small steps are being made, but we suspect you’re in a rut. Check who to call, for the Environmental Day near-est you and go. You’ll get tons of inspiration.

101-150:Closet environmentalist. Let yourself move to the next level - come out. Give money to green charities. Join a neighbourhood group. Find out more about the environment.

151-250:Proud to be green. You’re doing so many things right! Congratulations. Now share your beliefs with others. Join an environmental organization. Educate others.

251-plus:You could become a contributor to this magazine! You are one savvy, committed individual whose efforts should be praised and emulated.

answers

scoring

49

BONUS: a whopping 10 points for every fluorescent bulb in your home! New compact fluorescents save up to 75 per cent in energy consumption and last 10 times longer than incandescents.

12) The average household produces how much toxic waste

a) 10 pointsb) 0c) 0

Don’t get too confident about a paltry 35 litres per household per year - that’s about 80,000,000 litres in Toronto alone! Toxic waste, when disposed of in-correctly, ends up in the lake and then - in a diluted form - in your drinking water.

13) How much water used per day

a) 0b) 0c) 10 points

Canadians use up to 350 litres of water in the win-ter, and in the summer, with garden watering and washing cars, it’s 450 litres per day.That’s too much stress on overburdened water and sewage treatment plants.

0-50: Oh dear. You must read this entire magazine, take notes and really make an effort to inject something green into your lifestyle. The fact you took this quiz at all is a hopeful sign.

51-100:Small steps are being made, but we suspect you’re in a rut. Check who to call, for the Environmental Day near-est you and go. You’ll get tons of inspiration.

101-150:Closet environmentalist. Let yourself move to the next level - come out. Give money to green charities. Join a neighbourhood group. Find out more about the environment.

151-250:Proud to be green. You’re doing so many things right! Congratulations. Now share your beliefs with others. Join an environmental organization. Educate others.

251-plus:You could become a contributor to this magazine! You are one savvy, committed individual whose efforts should be praised and emulated.

answersNext Steps:

Read this book for insightful tips for

greening your family - your way

scoring


Green at HomeInspiring Ideas for Everyday Living Winter 2011

Green at Home Holiday Gift Offer

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• Simple and cost effective methods of greening your home• Recipes that the whole family will enjoy using fruits and vegetables that are in season• Interviews with experts• Ideas for family fun, crafts, vacations and much more

Recieve 4issues for $13.95

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• 10 Ways to spice up your Christmas Dinner

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The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river. - Ross Perot

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