By Sophia Chan-Combrink
Some time ago I attended a conference but unlike others, this one billed itself as being a “sustainable conference.” Being always on the look-out on new and practical ways to be green, I decided to probe further and asked to speak to the event manager.
Apparently, there are lots of way that business conferences can do its part for the environment and they can start from the very beginning by preparing a written environmental policy or statement that can be shared and agreed to by the suppliers, delegates and speakers. One can also estimate the total carbon footprint of the conference (especially easy if the conference is an annual event where the unexpected can be minimized) and plan to offset the emissions. more…
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Tags: business, carbon footprint, conferences, emissions offset, environmental policy, events, Recycling
14
Apr
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
With Canada being such a multi-cultural country, sampling international cuisines is easy in many major cities. Not necessarily as a consequence of my cultural heritage*, I happen to love Chinese food. However, one thing that I don’t love is the use of certain ingredients in the dishes - especially shark fin for use in the famous shark fin soup.
Shark fin is mainly sold in China and it often involves slicing off the fins from live sharks which are thrown back into the sea, where they bleed to death. According to the World Conservation Union, it is estimated that between 26 and 73 million sharks are going through the Hong Kong fin market each year - basically three to four times the total shark catches being reported to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. more…
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Tags: conservation, ecosystem, endangered species, Food, marine life, shark, shark fin
02
Apr
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
If you’re like me, you probably work in an office. You also probably spend two-thirds of your day there - it’s like your second home. So have you asked yourself whether your office is as “green” as your home? If not, here are some practical tips to make your office and (your office mates!) as green as you are:
- BYOM - if you start your day with a coffee or tea at your favourite local coffee shop, Bring Your Own Mug. You might even get a discount for bringing it!
- BYOC - same rule, different meal. If you buy your lunch, Bring Your Own Container. Throwing away those take away styrofoam or paper containers every day does not do the environment any favours.
- Recycle paper printer - dedicate at least one office printer as the “green” printer by putting in paper that have already been printed on one side.
- Turn down the A/C or heat - offices are notorious for being super hot in the winter and super cold in the summer. Watch the thermostat and adjust it accordingly.
- Take the stairs - if you work on the lower floors, do yourself and the environment some good by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I know of a colleague who walks up eight flights of stairs every day and she says that it’s a great way to start the morning!
- Start an office “Green Team” to brainstorm other green ideas and put them into action.
Add your own tip in the comment section below and let’s bring green awareness to our workplaces.
1 comment »
Tags: mug, office, Recycling, Reuse, thermostat, waste
23
Mar
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
Will turning off the lights for one hour really make a difference in combating climate change? Unlikely. However, if you plan to participate in the Earth Hour event happening on March 28th from 8:30 pm – 9:30pm, you will be doing so to send a message – that the sum of our individual actions is important and CAN make a big difference.
What can you do during that hour? Loads, but from the perspective of a parent with young children, here are some special suggestions: more…
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Tags: climate change, Earth Hour, lights
18
Mar
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
When I was visiting family in South Africa five years ago, I noticed that stores did not freely give out plastic bags with purchases. As an environmentalist, I was secretly delighted but as a North American, I thought that this idea would never fly back home.
Fast forward to 2009 and a major Canadian grocery chain has announced that they will charge customers 5 cents for every plastic bag used. Their research indicated that approximately 55 percent fewer bags are distributed when people have to pay for them. What a novel idea! At last! It’s slightly disappointing that this step was implemented by the private sector and not by the government. Every week in Canada, 55 million bags are taken from grocery stores, plus millions more from other stores.* On average, Canadians dispose of 16 - 18 kgs (35 - 40 lbs) of plastic each year. more…
1 comment »
Tags: petroleum, plastic, plastic bags, reusable bags, wildlife
02
Mar
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
As a parent of two young children, coffee is an important part of my day. Lattes, espressos, mochaccinos, hot or iced - I drink it all. Whether I brew it at home or buy a cup from my local coffeehouse, I always insist on java that is fair-trade, shade-grown, and organic.
Fair-trade basically means paying a fair price to the farmers who grow the coffee beans.* In turn, the farmers can then live a good life by being able to pay their children’s school fees, put food on their tables, access quality health care, and the like. When people’s basic needs are met, they are then more likely to care about their environment, leading them to sustainable agricultural practices like growing coffee without clearing the land of its trees and not using agrochemicals like synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. more…
4 comments »
Tags: coffee, fair trade, Organic, shade-grown
23
Feb
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
I love Canada as much as the next patriotic Canadian but there is only so much winter one can endure. Hence, our family is going somewhere warm and sunny for a holiday.
When we think of carbon emissions, we usually think cars and industrial activity but surprisingly air travel leaves a heavy carbon footprint, too. In 2000, air travel accounted for 4 - 9% of the total climate change impact of human activity.* Compared to other ways of travelling such as trains and cars, air travel has a great climate impact per passenger kilometer, even over longer distances.* Furthermore, according to the European Federation for Transport and Environment, today’s passenger aircrafts are no more fuel-efficient than those that flew half a century ago.** more…
8 comments »
Tags: air travel, carbon emissions, carbon offsets, climate change, global warming
02
Feb
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
I bought jars of baby food to feed my first child when she was ready for solid foods. Being that we were raising her as a vegetarian, the selection at the store was limited with the same boring types of vegetables and fruits. Then I started making my own baby food with a wider variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Hey, I thought, I should start a business specializing in vegetarian baby foods! However, due to a multitude of reasons, the biggest one simply being the lack of time, I didn’t.
more…
1 comment »
Tags: business, green business, momtrepreneurs, small business
12
Jan
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
With temperatures near or below zero degree celsius in all parts of the country, it’s time to cuddle up with a good movie. The other day, we watched “An Inconvenient Truth,” the movie that made Al Gore even more famous than when he was serving in the White House. I think my partner was one of the last three people who still hadn’t seen the film. Although it was my second time watching the film, it still had a powerful effect on me - it reminded me every little green action can, and is needed, to help the planet.
more…
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Tags: cinema, environmental, movies
06
Jan
2009
By Sophia Chan-Combrink
When I was grocery shopping the other day, I noticed that some manufacturers of canned salmon are labelling theirs as “wild.” Having a weakness for salmon, especially in sushi, I was intrigued to look up the manufacturer’s website to see why they have added the “wild” label.
I found out that the “wild” label was added after receiving many consumer inquiries whether their product was “wild” or “farmed.” You see, the trouble with farmed salmon is that they are given antibiotics, pesticides and other drugs to keep them healthy. more…
2 comments »
Tags: antibiotics, canned salmon, farmed salmon, marine environment, pesticides, pollution, sushi, wild salmon
22
Dec
2008
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