Going Green in Revelstoke - A Toolkit Suggestions for moving toward an environmentally
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
1
Going Green in
Revelstoke
A Toolkit
Suggestions for moving
toward an environmentally
sustainable lifestyle.
North Columbia Environmental Society
2
Contents
Why an environmental sustainability toolkit? 3
Making greener decisions 3
Benefits of sustainability 3
Purchasing choices 4
Sustainable transport options 5
Waste and recycling 7
Rethink 7
Reduce 7
Reuse 8
Recycle 8
Residual 9
Energy efficiency 10
Water efficiency 12
Reducing toxins 13
Eat less meat 15
A bit about meat alternatives 15
Going green - room by room 16
Kitchen 16
Bedrooms 16
Living and dining 16
Bathroom 17
Laundry 17
Office 18
Garage 19
Yard 19
Household recipes 21
General cleaners 21
Specific cleaners 22
Deodorizers 22
Air fresheners 22
Pesticides 29
The path ahead 24
Further reading 25
Websites 25
Books 25
Documentaries 26
Acknowledgements 27
North Columbia Environmental Society
3
Why an environmental sustainability toolkit?
Does it all matter?
First of all, what is environmental sustainability? It can be described as “meeting the needs of
the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
needs”. Sustainability is about making sure that we leave our children and our children’s
children with adequate resources and a climate worth living in. Clearly it does all matter!
Both the Revelstoke Official Community Plan and the Community Development Action Plan
include the need to be sustainable in their environmental goals. In addition Revelstoke has
stated that all City lands and works will be carbon neutral by 2012.
The following is a simple step by step toolkit to help you put this big picture concept into
practice. It will help you to reduce your use of resources, increase the efficiency with which you
use the resources you do use and along the way improve your health, save you money and
make our community a better place to live.
Making greener decisions
By reading this booklet you are already making greener decisions! Not everyone automatically
knows what is best for a sustainable environment; some things are obvious but others are not
so.
The tips in this toolkit are guidelines which may be expanded upon. It is all about making a
more conscious choice about the life you want to lead. It is not a call to cut back and stop living
a full life but a set of suggestions to help you expand your life into one which is full and
environmentally sustainable, a life you can feel proud of.
There are no hard and fast rules; this is a journey towards a more sustainable future and every
journey begins with a single step!
Benefits of sustainability
Get healthier by reducing the amount of toxins in your home and environment. Save money by
making your home more energy- and water-efficient. Increase the resale value of your home.
Help slow or reduce the effects of climate change. Contribute to the preservation of
biodiversity by minimizing your impact. Help move our culture toward an environmentally
sustainable future.
North Columbia Environmental Society4
Purchasing choices
Every dollar you spend is a vote for what you believe in. Think about what you buy. Are you
supporting ethically made products? Are you buying locally made products? Are you buying
items made from renewable resources? Or plastic derived from petroleum? Are you buying in
bulk or something that is over packaged? Do you use reusable coffee cups? Do you drink tap
water or bottled water? Are you buying a product that will release toxic chemicals into your
home and environment?
Making conscious decisions can make all the difference to the type of future products made by
manufacturers. Purchasing power has the final say on how environmentally friendly
manufacturers will be.
For local products and services that are most sustainable, see the North Columbia
Environmental Society (NCES) Green Business Awards at www.northcolumbia.org. Look for a
Green Business Award certificate at your favourite retailers. If they don’t have one, ask them
what they could do to be more eco-friendly so they qualify.
North Columbia Environmental Society5
Sustainable transport options
Transport currently costs us a huge amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) production, a level which
is unsustainable. Ask yourself:
Do I really need to go?
Sounds obvious, but it’s a question worth asking. We’re used to hopping in our cars and going
somewhere at the drop of a hat. Next time, before you slide the keys in the ignition, consider if
you need to go at all.
Where do I need to go?
Can you find the goods you need nearby? What you need is probably closer than you think. Plan
your journeys with an eye to efficiency and make one trip instead of several. If you have to
drive to town, park your car and walk around the shops, no need to find 5 different parking
spaces!
What are my daily travel plans?
How far do you have to travel to work. If you are moving consider moving closer to work,
school or other places you visit regularly.
How will I get there?
If you must go, can you get there without driving?
Give yourself enough time to walk. Or bike and you get the added bonus of exercise and
saving money on fuel bills.
Take the bus. Check out our local transit maps and schedule on-line at
www.bctransit.com/regions/rev/.
Think about joining the Nelson Rideshare Co-operative, Revelstoke branch, and benefit
from a choice of vehicles and cheaper driving costs. See www.nelsoncar.com.
Car pool with a friend or colleague.
If you need to use a taxi ask if there is a hybrid taxi available. Eventually the taxi services
will get the idea!
If you are heading up to the ski hill take the shuttle. It’s free and sweeps through town
from either the Big Eddy or the Hillcrest. See
revelstokemountainresort.com/RESORT/Getting-Here/Revelstoke-Shuttle.html for details.
The shuttle bus goes to the top of Mount Revelstoke in the summer. Call Parks Canada at
250-837-7500.
If you need to travel further afield try kootenayrideshare.com to find either a ride or
someone to share your costs.
Practice idle-free driving. It is a City of Revelstoke bylaw that vehicles must not run at idle
for more than three minutes. Ten seconds of idling can use more fuel, wear out your
engine faster, and create more exhaust than turning off the engine and restarting it.
North Columbia Environmental Society6
The best way to warm up an engine is to drive at low revs as soon as possible after a cold
start, avoiding high speed and rapid acceleration for the first 5 km.
According to Cummins Diesel Manufacturers, in extremely cold weather, diesels can
benefit from 3 minutes of idling after initial start-up, and 3 to 5 minutes of cool down but
only after pulling a heavy load.
Prevent exhaustion - Don’t idle your engine!
North Columbia Environmental Society7
Waste and recycling
Rethinking is now the first R, followed by Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and managing Residual.
Rethink - Think carefully about what you buy. A little thought before you buy something
with excessive packaging can really reduce your waste problem. Think “do I really need it?”
Refuse to purchase unnecessary items. Try to buy things which will last; don’t give your money
and support to manufacturers who make things designed to be thrown away in six months.
Spending money only encourages the manufactures to continue environmentally destructive
practices.
Pick the least packaged option. Don’t purchase products with excessive packaging. Fresh
and bulk products tend to have reduced packaging. Avoid items that are individually
wrapped.
Choose biodegradable products produced close to home and sold by locally owned
businesses.
Choose products free of toxins.
Choose fair-trade products.
Reduce - what you bring into your home. Many of the things we buy, we don’t really need,
so don’t buy them and you will save money too!
Drink tap water. Revelstoke has great municipal water, and the environment does not need
extra bottles.
Legally download tunes vs. purchasing CDs, which are easily wrecked and not recyclable.
Use reusable rather than disposable cups, dishes, and cutlery.
Use dish covers and reusable containers instead of plastic wrap.
Use electronic invitations and thank-you cards.
Use dishcloths to wipe spills instead of paper towels.
Pack garbage-free lunches. Most fruit comes with its own fully bio-degradable perfect
packaging!
About 20 billion tampons and
Use washable, reusable menstrual products, such as the
conventional pads are dumped into
DivaCup or washable pads. See www.lunapads.com for
the North American Environment
products and good information on their use. If you have
each year. Synthetic materials in
to use tampons, make sure they are 100% unbleached
these products do not biodegrade
organic cotton. Available at Mountain Goodness and
and often end up on beaches.
Pharmasave.
For those with young children, check out reusable diapers. Modern reusable diapers are a
far cry from the old fashioned fold-your-own-and-jab-yourself-with-a-safety-pin type! If
you must use a disposable, get the biodegradable ones.
It is estimated that disposable diapers are responsible for adding roughly 2 billion tons of
urine, feces, plastic and paper to landfills annually, potentially contaminating groundwater.
North Columbia Environmental Society8
Reuse - as much as possible.
Always choose reusable cloth shopping bags. Don’t accept plastic bags. Every week Canadians
Look for new uses for things you already have. take home 55 million
Buy products in reusable bottles; milk from Comfort Zone Delivery, plastic grocery bags. It
www.comfortzonedelivery.com 250-837-4967; and personal and takes 500 years for each
laundry soap from The Soap Exchange 250-814-9854. bag to biodegrade!
Check out the local book exchanges at the Recreation Center, Food
Bank, Arena, Hospital, Family Laundry, Southside Market. Use the library and DVD rental
store.
Repair things instead of buying new.
Find pre-loved treasures at the Reuse Shed at the landfill.
Buy permanent filters for air conditioners and
Local composting worm sellers:
furnace.
Use leftover paper and plastic bags for garbage. Mr. Fraser, Nakusp, ph 250-265-4200,
Wrap gifts in reusable gift bags, reuse ribbon. email: kootenaywigglers@rocketmail.com
Save leftover food; use perishables before they Briteland Agriculture, Vernon , ph 1-800-663-5416,
spoil. email: davew@briteland.com
Compost food scraps and other organic
materials using an indoor worm composter. See www.compostguy.com/worm-composting-
basics/ then use the compost to grow your own veggies. Be sure to check out Bear Aware
Composting at www.revelstokebearaware.org/proofing.htm#Compost.
If you’re tired of your garments, call some friends and organize a clothes swap. Your old is
their new.
Unload items you no longer need at consignment stores, thrift stores,
www.csrd.reuses.com, www.freecyclerevelstoke, The Stoke classified at thestoke.ca/list, or
put them at your gate with a sign saying “Take me, I’m free!”. Your junk might be
somebody else’s treasure!
Salvage materials from home renovations. If you can’t reuse the materials, take them to
the Shuswap New and Used Building Materials 250-804-1453.
Look for items in the thrift and consignment stores instead of buying new items.
Recycle - all recyclable materials. The regional phone book has a fantastic section outlining
what and where – check it out.
Set up a convenient recycling system in your home.
Recycle all drink bottles at the Revelstoke Bottle Depot at 97 Cartier St. They pay between
5¢ and 20¢ per item. They also recycle household paint, computers, televisions, and faxes.
They plan to take DVD players, VCRs, radios, and cell phones from mid 2010.
The Revelstoke Recycling Station at the corner of Vernon Ave and Victoria Rd now takes
mixed materials making it even easier to recycle.
Recycle batteries, oil, old fuel and fluorescent tubes at annual hazardous waste fairs, see
the Regional District website at www.csrd.bc.ca or call 1-888-248-2773 for details of when
and where.
North Columbia Environmental Society9
Don’t be fooled by recycling Tetra Packs (juice boxes etc.) they are mostly just burnt and
the metals reclaimed. All the paper and plastic goes up
Items Accepted at Revelstoke
in smoke!
Recycling Station:
The thrift stores take clean plastic bags. Coopers recycles
Newspapers & inserts
plastic grocery and produce bags.
Glass, colored and clear
Community Connections recycles inkjet cartridges and Food tins
cell phones. Mixed paper, junk mail,
Return eyeglasses to optometrist offices. magazines, cardboard egg
Motor oil, filters, and containers are accepted for cartons, boxboard, flyers, craft
recycling at Silverline Auto Repair and Transmission paper & catalogues
Center, 250-837-9533 and Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd, Plastics #1, #2, #4, #5
250-837-3994. (containers), but not bags or
M&J Metal Recycling will take any metal and will even Styrofoam.
pay for larger quantities of copper. Drop off at 1614 Corrugated cardboard.
Powerhouse Rd, or make arrangements for pick up at
250-837-9283.
Residual - is what’s left, far less than before we hope!
North Columbia Environmental Society10
Energy efficiency
When you reduce the amount of gas or electricity you use, you reduce the impacts associated
with its production and delivery.
Saving energy in your home is important not only to the environment, it is also a very good way
of saving significant money.
A $2000 investment in wall insulation can bring 18% energy savings. You can get around $1500
government energy efficiency rebates. The remaining $500 can be paid off in reduced energy
bills in under three years, all while increasing the comfort and value of your home.
Have your home assessed for energy efficiency. You may be eligible for EcoEnergy grants
which may include some of the assessment costs. Check out www.HomePerformance.com
for items on which grants are available, then contact VerdaTech Energy Management at 1-
866-241-6804 or email admin@verdatech-inc.com to book an assessment.
The Office of Energy Efficiency at oee.nrcan.gc.ca gives
You can save as much as 15% of
good information on the EnerGuide system which
your heating cost if you regularly
rates appliances etc. for their energy efficiency.
turn your thermostat down from
On a windy day use an incense stick to help identify
21°C to 20°C during the day and
leaks around windows, electrical outlets, vents and
down to 16°C at night.
exterior doors.
If you are putting in a new fire, consider a pellet stove.
They are more efficient than a wood burner and produce about one sixth the pollution.
Keep fireplace damper closed unless the fire is going.
Lower your thermostat at night and when you are out. Consider what temperature you
need your home to be when you are home. Dress for the season, even inside.
Insulate your basement walls to prevent heat loss.
Check that your hot water heater is insulated. Pool covers can save
Use drapes to regulate interior temperatures. Keep closed on a half to two thirds of
cold nights and on hot days. your annual heating
Use an insulated cover for your hot tub and pool. costs.
Install double- or triple-paned windows.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (fluorescents contain mercury
so ensure spent ones are sent to the hazardous waste fair, see www.csrd.bc.ca.
Ninety percent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs is lost as heat! Compact fluorescents
use 75% less energy while lasting 10 times as long - they end up paying for themselves!
If you’re not using it, unplug it. Many appliances have standby systems which drain as
much as 10% of the full operating energy of the appliance.
Don't replace light bulbs where you don’t really need them, e.g., from rows of lights around
North Columbia Environmental Society11
mirrors.
Use lighting timers, motion detectors, photocells or programmable thermostats where
appropriate.
Maintain your furnace and replace filters every 2 years. If the furnace needs replacing,
choose one with a high energy-efficiency rating.
Design or retrofit your house to take advantage of natural light.
Consider renewable energy sources like solar water heating or geo-exchange heat pumps
to supplement your home energy needs.
North Columbia Environmental Society12
Water efficiency
Clean drinking water is not only supplied to Revelstoke taps and showers, but also to our
garden hoses, toilets and fire hydrants. This means we currently disinfect the entire water
supply regardless of the end use.
Water conservation not only saves water, it also reduces the energy and chemicals required to
deliver safe water to our homes.
Low flow shower
Faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads to help you reduce
heads save up to 10
water use. Check that you have them or install them.
litres per minute.
Check all your water systems for leaks and if you find any, fix
them.
If you don’t have low flow toilets, put one or two rocks
(don`t use bricks) into the cistern to reduce the volume of A leaky toilet can waste
the flush. If you are replacing an old toilet, fit an ultra-low- up to 200,000 litres of
volume one. water in a year!
Choose to sweep your driveway, don’t power-wash.
Keep a jug of cold water in the fridge instead of
running the faucet for cold water. Only 10% of our municipal treated
Reuse water from washing veggies to water your drinking water is used in the
indoor plants. kitchen and as drinking water. .
Choose garden plants that are drought resistant to
reduce the need to water your garden.
If you must water your lawn, do it early in the morning and use a timer to ensure that you
don’t overwater.
Shower with a friend, or have a short, cold shower - just kidding, do what you can to
conserve!
North Columbia Environmental Society13
Reducing toxins
In Canada there are around 23,000 registered chemicals, most of which have not been tested
for their impacts on human health, wildlife or the environment. Many are known to cause
serious health concerns such as cancer, allergies and birth defects. Know what is in the
products you buy and use. The government does not require that every ingredient is tested for
toxicity, so it is up to us to make sure that we are not surrounding and covering ourselves in
toxins.
Over 150 chemicals found in
Hint: If it has "Danger", "Toxic" or a Skull and Crossbones on ordinary household and
the label, it is probably not good for you! Avoid it if you can. personal care products are
directly linked to occurrences
Avoid beauty products with parabens, phthalates, of cancer, allergies, birth
triclosan, and synthetic dyes. Check out the toxicity of defects, and other health
your cosmetic products at disorders.
www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php and find suggestions for safer ones. Some of the
vendors at the farmers market sell safer products and you can find some at Mountain
Goodness Natural Foods.
Avoid all those anti-bacterial products. Most of the bacteria around us are beneficial or at
least non-harmful. Allowing your immune system to fight them off may be linked to a lower
instance of allergies.
Eat certified organic food. Don’t accept food covered in pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Meat from large commercial feedlots may contain antibiotics and pesticides.
Store foods in glass or porcelain instead of plastic. Many plastics
contain toxins which can leach into your food. Avoid plastic #7, it is not recyclable, and can
leach toxins into food or water. It is most commonly in use for baby bottles and sport-
water bottles.
Dangerous toxins emitted from Teflon coated
Some of the chemicals in Teflon cookware and other non-stick surfaces (e.g., pizza
are known to induce cancer in boxes, microwave popcorn bags, non-stick baking
animals and are associated with paper) are potentially carcinogenic. Use cookware
impaired foetal development and made of stainless steel, cast-iron, or “non-PFOA”
altered male reproduction among non-stick coating.
other effects. Unlike other Reduce the chemicals you use to clean. Use
pollutants, they never break microfiber cloths for general cleaning, floor moping
down so they bio-accumulate. and window cleaning - they do not require any
chemicals. Good microfiber cloths are available at
supermarkets. Magic Erasers are a chemical-free alternative for bathrooms and kitchens.
Avoid pouring hazardous materials down the sink.
Place foil in the bottom of your oven to reduce the need for toxic cleaners.
Most electronics contain flame retardants. Toxic dust is then sloughed off them, making its
way into your indoor air. Dust regularly with a damp cloth.
When making a new purchase, buy from companies who don’t use flame retardants. Check
North Columbia Environmental Society14
out the online guide to greener electronics at
www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics.
Avoid commercial air fresheners. See recipes section for alternatives.
Choose natural and organic materials and textiles.
Choose washable menstrual products or use 100% organic, unbleached cotton tampons.
Conventionally grown cotton uses large amounts of pesticides. Bleached cotton can contain
dioxin and dyes can contain heavy metals.
Use a chlorine-free sanitizing system in your hot tub or pool.
Use a plunger or a snake to clear blocked drains.
Use biodegradable, phosphate and chlorine-free dish soaps and cleaners. Also see the
recipes section on page 25 for non-toxic home-made cleaning products.
Use non-toxic, solvent-free paints. Dispose of excess responsibly
North Columbia Environmental Society15
Eat less meat
Although meat has been promoted as a healthy food in moderation, many people have
forgotten the “in moderation” bit and eat meat every day.
The world population of livestock currently sits at about 60 billion. To accommodate all these
animals, farmers are turning to factory type farms, where animals are housed in very confined
areas, fed on a mixture of grain and animal protein (even though they are herbivores) and are
often given antibiotics. If you do eat meat, choose meat from grass fed animals.
Added to that, animals farmed for meat produce huge
Worldwide, farmed animals quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas about 25 times
produce more greenhouse more potent than CO2.
gas emissions than the Listen to “Deconstructing Dinner” on the Kootenay Co-op
entire world transport Radio podcasts at www.kootenaycoopradio.com for excellent
system. information on issues concerning what we eat.
A bit about meat alternatives
Plant proteins come from foods such as peas, beans, nuts and soy products. Plant proteins
tend to be lacking in one or more essential amino acids. It is important to pair them up so your
body gets the full quota of these essential amino acids. For example, beans peas and soy (all
legumes) pair up with either grains (including rice, bread, and pasts) or nuts to provide all you
need. Google “Complimentary Proteins” for more information. For some excellent meat-free
recipes see www.vegsoc.org.
Many beans take quite a long time to cook but once they are cooked they can be kept in the
freezer. Most beans need soaking over night then will cook in about 1-2 hours depending on
type.
Lentils can be just as versatile and quick to prepare as ground beef if they are precooked and in
your freezer.
Try sprouting some beans. Some favourites for sprouting are mung beans, garbanzo beans and
alfalfa seeds but almost any types (except red kidney beans) will do – be adventurous, try them
and see! Fill a glass preserving jar with beans until the beans are about three or four deep.
Cover top of jar with cheesecloth and secure with fastening ring. Soak beans for about 8 hours
then drain and leave upside down on drainer. Make sure you allow for air to flow into the jar.
Rinse every day for 2 -3 days and enjoy. Great in sandwiches and an excellent zero-air-mile
salad all year round! See www.primalseeds.org/sprouting.htm for more information.
North Columbia Environmental Society16
Going green -– room by room
Kitchen
Collect tap water while it’s heating up. Use to rinse food, wash dishes or water your plants.
Wash your fruit and vegetables in a bowl instead of a flowing stream of tap water.
Don’t prewash dishes. Fill the dishwasher to capacity before
Each time you use your
starting.
dishwasher you use
Ensure that your fridge and freezer doors are well sealed
about 180 litres of water.
and the temperature setting is appropriate. Check inside
your fridge for correct setting.
Cover your pots with lids and use them on the appropriate sized burners.
Use pressure cookers, toaster ovens, and microwaves when possible. They cook food much
faster and use less energy.
Buy local foods to reduce the use of transportation energy.
Eat less meat; choose alternate protein sources such as beans or nuts. See www.vegsoc.org
for tasty and easy meat-free recipes. If you want meat choose organic, grass fed meat
available from Mountain Goodness and PT Farms.
Grow your own bean sprouts (see "Eat Less Meat" section), they are cheaper and fresher
and reduce the use of plastic containers.
Bedrooms
Choose organic cotton bedding and clothing.
Make sure that your mattress, pillow, and clothing do not
Conventional cotton uses
contain flame-retardants. Ask your manufacturer.
about 25% of the world’s
Avoid purchasing permanent press or wrinkle free sheets,
insecticides.
clothing and curtains; they may contain carcinogens.
Use a nightlight rather than leaving the hall/bathroom light on.
Turn down the thermostat when you are sleeping.
Living and dining
Use washable cloth serviettes.
Choose sustainably harvested and old-growth-free furniture - you will be supporting BC’s
economy and the environment.
Reuse existing furniture or refurbish used items.
Cut out some TV time. Reading a book, playing a game or doing a puzzle allows you time to
North Columbia Environmental Society17
develop your mind instead of being fed all the advertising which makes you want to go out
and shop for stuff you don’t need. Checkout
www.screensmart.ca. In North America "phantom
Phantom power is scary. Your electronics – TV, VCR, DVD,
energy" is equal to 64m MWh
etc. – use power even when you turn them off. Unplug to
save money and energy. Use a power bar to make it per year, the amount produced
easier; you’ll only need to flip a single switch! by 18 power stations!
Toy recalls have you worried? Check out HealthyToys.org,
the Consumer Guide to toxic chemicals in toys. Children’s play jewellery ranks the worst.
Choose toys made of natural materials like wood or organic cotton or wool.
Bathroom
Turn water off while brushing your teeth and save up to 12 litres of water a minute.
Plug drain before turning on tap for bath.
Avoid unnecessary flushing or using the toilet as a wastebasket.
65% of indoor water If it is yellow, let it mellow.
use is in the Think, do you really need the hair drier and straightening tongs
bathroom, most of every day?
which is from toilets. Avoid using plastic shower curtains, they give off toxic gasses.
Choose toilet paper that is 100% Post Consumer Waste (PCW) recycled and unbleached.
Choose or make biodegradable, natural shampoos, soaps, cosmetics and lotions.
Use bar soaps or buy liquid soap in refillable containers from the Soap Exchange at 250-
814-9854.
Choose unbleached cloth diapers. Use biodegradable disposable The average
diapers for those times when you need them. child uses 5,000
Choose unbleached biodegradable feminine products. Look into disposable
reusable alternatives such as the DivaCup and reduce waste. diapers.
Keep a book of matches or a scented candle on the toilet cistern.
Simply striking a match will eliminate unpleasant odours.
Make your own air freshener. See recipes section, page 27.
Laundry
Avoid washing laundry unnecessarily.
Minimize detergent use. The amount recommended by manufacturers is often more than
you need. Try using smaller amounts each time to find out for yourself what works.
Use short, cold wash cycles and wash only full loads of laundry with an environmentally
friendly detergent.
If you are upgrading your washing machine, choose a front loader. They use about 40% less
North Columbia Environmental Society18
water and about 50% less energy.
Use the clothes line in summer and set up a drying rack in your house in winter.
If you must use the drier, dry only full loads but don’t overload.
Clean dryer lint catcher to improve efficiency of the dryer.
Use dryer balls to help cut down drying time and use of fabric softeners.
Don’t use chlorine bleach. Bleach is extremely harmful to the environment and your health.
Replace toxic cleaning products with natural, non-
Chemical cleaners used on hazardous, biodegradable alternatives. Avoid products
floors are most likely to come that contain phosphates and chlorine, and those with
in contact with young children warning labels such as "danger", "caution", "poison",
and pets. Due to their small etc. You can even make alternative products yourself!
body size children and pets are See "Recipes" section on page 27.
more likely to be adversely Consider washing dry-cleanable clothes by hand
affected by the chemicals. instead of having them dry-cleaned. If you must dry-
clean, choose chlorine-free processes. Request no
plastic bags with dry cleaning.
Office
Paper from recycled stock takes
Go paper free where you can, recycle where you can’t.
60% less energy to manufacture
Telecommute and use conference calls whenever
than standard paper .Every time
possible.
we recycle a tonne of paper we
Use energy-saving settings on office equipment.
save 31,500 litres of water, not
If you need new equipment, choose energy-efficient
to mention all the trees!
multi-functional machines.
Shut down equipment when not in use.
Use voicemail instead of answering machine.
Avoid battery operated devices. Use rechargeable
Turning your computer off may
batteries.
prolong its life due to reduced
Laptops use 50% less energy than desktops.
heat and mechanical stress.
Use phone or email instead of fax.
Choose paperless billing when you can.
Use unbleached, recycled, or tree-free paper products.
Print only what you absolutely need. Try reading off the screen or just print the pages you
need to read. Print double-sided or on the back of used paper.
Recycle used paper and paper products.
Blu-ray discs can hold 5 times as much as CDs and can be shredded and recycled. If you use
CDs, choose reusable ones.
Choose serviceable, upgradable, and recyclable equipment.
Recycle old office equipment (computers, faxes, desktop printers, mice, keyboards) at the
Revelstoke Bottle Depot.
North Columbia Environmental Society19
Garage
Stop idling your engine. If everyone in Revelstoke stopped idling for just 3 minutes a day,
over a year we would collectively save about 8 fully loaded tank trucks worth of fuel!
Retire that second fridge. Parting with that full size 15-year-old fridge will save you $120 a
year and prevent about 240 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions. BC Hydro will even pay
you $30 to take it away! See www.bchydro.com.
Clean up all those old paint containers and take them to the Revelstoke Bottle Depot or
Regional District hazardous waste fair, see www.csrd.bc.ca for details.
Yard
The North Columbia Environmental Society website has some excellent information on
greening your backyard. See www.northcolumbia.org/greening_yard.html.
If you have fruit trees and can’t handle all the fruit or would love to help pick some fresh
fruit from around town, Revelstoke Bear Aware runs a Community Fruit Exchange, see
www.revelstokebearaware.org/proofing.htm#Fruit for information.
See www.cityfarmboy.com for great trips on designing and building urban vegetable
gardens.
Share your backyard with someone who would like to turn it into a vegetable garden, then
divvy up the fruits of your shared labour. Patti Larson at Community Connections (ph 250-
837-2920) runs a program matching up gardens with gardeners.
Deciduous trees shade your yard in the summer while letting sun shine through in the
winter.
If you are landscaping, choose a diverse range of native vegetation to attract birds and
smaller wildlife. Use mulch wherever you can. Reduce lawn area where you can.
Backyard compost makes excellent plant food and also helps retain soil moisture.
Go natural with your lawn care. See www.cityfarmer.org
Find information about gardening with plants native to BC at
www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants.
Rainwater from your roof is ideal for irrigating your garden and lawn. Install a rain barrel
(with a lid to keep out mosquitoes) or two for storage. For more water saving ideas visit
www.waterbucket.ca.
Use a soaker hose rather than a sprinkler to water your lawn. Don`t over water. If it is
running down the driveway turn it off!
Aerate your lawn to help facilitate water absorption.
If you are building with exterior timber, avoid CCA (chromate copper arsenate) treated
lumber. Although CCA-treated lumber is no longer sold at retail, suppliers still make it
available to contractors.
Choose organic or non-toxic alternatives to pesticides. Pesticides used to kill insects and
weeds in your yard also affect you and your family! See www.pesticidefreebc.org for
North Columbia Environmental Society20
alternatives for your garden. The City of Revelstoke has decided to stop using cosmetic
pesticides on all public property, if they can do it you can too.
Buy a push mower, the only side effect is a good workout!
Symptoms of pesticide poisoning are sometimes misdiagnosed as flu or allergies. Long term
consequences include lowered fertility, cancer, birth defects and immune system problems.
Children and pets are particularly at risk from lawn chemicals because they play and roll
around on lawns.
North Columbia Environmental Society21
Household recipes
General cleaners
Here are several basic recipes:
1. Dissolve 1/4 cup baking soda in one litre hot water. Spray or wipe on.
2. Mix equal parts vinegar and salt and use as an abrasive scrub.
3. A dash of lemon juice mixed into a bucket of warm water with one teaspoon of liquid
soap for wiping or spraying.
4. Mix 1 part vinegar and 1 part water for spray application.
5. Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar, 6 drops lemon, grapefruit, or orange juice in a
spray bottle. Shake vigorously before each use.
Use vinegar spray to clean the bathtub, sink, stovetop, and countertops. Mop the floor with
a solution of half vinegar, half hot water. Undiluted vinegar will eat away soap scum and hard
water stains around your fixtures and will dissolve rings in your toilet. And it has the added
bonus of being incredibly cheap. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar - the smell
disappears when it dries. Note: Vinegar is safe to use on most surfaces, however improperly
diluted, it is acidic and can eat away at tile grout and marble surfaces. Always test on an
inconspicuous area.
Hydrogen Peroxide is an environmentally friendly alternative to chlorine bleach. For
stubborn stains on tile and grout, spray hydrogen peroxide, leave on for a few hours and wipe
clean. It kills bacteria, mould and mildew and breaks down quickly in the environment.
Available at pharmacies, it is also sold as peroxide bleach.
Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use to scrub dishes,
surfaces and stains.
Use microfiber cloths for windows and TVs, wipe with damp fibre cloth then polish with dry
fibre cloth.
Use club soda or lemon juice to clean spots. Test on an inconspicuous area first.
Specific cleaners
Oven cleaner - scrub with steel wool using a baking soda and water solution. Sprinkle fresh
grease spills with salt or baking soda. When oven has cooled, wipe clean with soft cloth.
Cutting board sanitizer- rub with half a freshly cut lemon, lime, or grapefruit or let board
soak in a solution of 2 cups water and 15 drops lemon juice, then wash with a mild soap and hot
water.
Drain cleaner- When a plunger or snake won’t clear your drain, pour a half and half mixture
of baking soda and white vinegar down your drain and flush with boiling water.
Glass cleaner, mix equal parts vinegar and water in an empty spray bottle, or just use water
and wipe with newspaper.
Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your
hardwood furniture. Don`t make too much at a time as it will eventually go rancid.
North Columbia Environmental Society22
Soap scum remover: mix 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, two drops lemon juice,
and just enough vinegar to make a paste.
Whitening scouring powder: mix 1 cup baking soda, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1/8 cup of
borax and the grated peel of 1 lemon, orange, or grapefruit. Borax can be toxic if wrongly
diluted.
Use vinegar to reduce and break up soap residue in your wash, ideal for those who have
sensitive skin. It also breaks up oil and grease, is a natural bleach, and dissolves uric acid making
it perfect for washing baby items. You can also add ½ a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle as a
fabric softener.
Toilet scrub: use a borax and lemon juice paste.
Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper.
Deodorizers
Place a box of baking soda in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odours. Put it anywhere
you need deodorizing action.
Line the bottom shelf of your fridge with newspaper and with 10 to 15 drops of lemon
juice, remove after 2-3 days.
Air fresheners
Simmer cinnamon and cloves.
Place dishes of baking soda or white vinegar around the house.
Cut a few stems of fragrant plants such as sage, rosemary, lemon balm, or mint, tie with
string and hang.
Mix a few drops of eucalyptus oil with water in a pump-action mister.
Air purifying plants: spider plant, golden pothos, peace lily, fern, Chinese evergreen,
weeping fig. Herbs also filter the air, and many can be easily grown indoors year-round. Try
basil, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary and mint
Pesticides
Flea or tic control: add brewer’s yeast or garlic to pet food or spread fennel, rue, rosemary,
or eucalyptus seeds or leaves around sleeping areas.
Flea carpet treatment: vacuum carpet then combine 2 cups baking soda, 10 drops each
orange and citronella essential oil, 8 drops peppermint essential oil, and 6 drops lemon
essential oil in a container. Sprinkle over affected area and leave for at least 1 hour before
vacuuming up.
Weed Killer: Pour boiling water on weeds to eliminate them from between paving stones.
Or combine white vinegar and lemon juice. Spray on.
Slug traps: Place saucers of beer or water out in the evening to drown slugs.
For control of fungal diseases and soft-bodied insects (such as aphids, mealy bugs, spider
mites, soft scale or earwigs) mix 1 tablespoon canola oil to 4 cups water and a few drops non-
North Columbia Environmental Society23
detergent dish soap, shake well. Shaking occasionally, spray both sides of leaf surfaces until
dripping.
Spider mite repellent: combine 1 quart water, 1 tablespoon non-detergent liquid soap, and
3 tablespoon of cayenne pepper (or hot pepper sauce or Tabasco).
Fungal disease control (including black spot and powdery mildew): apply baking soda as a
powder or mix 1 table spoon baking soda in 1 quart of water and spray every few days.
North Columbia Environmental Society24
The path ahead
If you’ve done everything recommended in this guidebook - well done! You have made some
significant changes. You’ve probably already noticed financial savings and you may be feeling
healthier too. You may also be asking what more can you do. Lots!
Tell your friends. The path to environmental sustainability is a long one and the more of us on
board, the easier it is to make a real difference. Let your friends know about the changes you
have made and how great the benefits have been. Give them a copy of this toolkit. Copies are
available at the Community Center or may be downloaded at www.northcolumbia.org.
Influence the influencers. At the end of the day, we need to make it easy for people to live
sustainably. The political sphere and the marketplace can either facilitate or impede sustainable
behaviour.
We need to communicate social needs to decision makers; from federal Members of
Parliament to local councillors. Ways to influence the decision makers range from petitions and
marches to making personal contact by letter, phone, or meeting.
We also need to communicate our needs to Revelstoke business owners who are responsible
for the local availability of environmentally sustainable products and services.
Become a sustainability champion. All it takes is passion and commitment. Find the issue you
are most passionate about and get organized. Advocate for change. Write letters, make phone
calls, run for political office, start a new business, take a risk. Unleash the sustainability
champion within you!
Ask yourself, “what next?” When you ask this question it will help you be clear about how the
results of your decisions can be stepping stones for other steps along the path to sustainability.
Sustainability is about nothing less than deciding the future of our world. We all share the
privilege and responsibility of making choices in our lives. It is up to each of us to create a
future we can be proud to pass on to future generations, while enjoying all the riches a
sustainable lifestyle offers.
North Columbia Environmental Society25
Further reading
Web sites
North Columbia Environmental Society - www.northcolumbia.org
The David Suzuki Foundation - www.davidsuzuki.org
Bus timetable - www.bctransit.com/regions/rev
Shuttle to RMR - revelstokemountainresort.com/RESORT/Getting-Here/Revelstoke-Shuttle.html
Ride sharing - kootenayrideshare.com
Car share programme - www.nelsoncar.com
Reusable feminine products - www.lunapads.com
Home milk delivery - www.comfortzonedelivery.com
Composting - www.compostguy.com/worm-composting-basics/
Bear aware composting - www.revelstokebearaware.org/proofing.htm#Compost.
Reusing building materials- www.csrd.reuses.com,
Second-hand stuff - www.freecyclerevelstoke, thestoke.ca/list,
Regional District hazardous waste fairs etc.- www.csrd.bc.ca
Home energy efficiency - www.HomePerformance.com
Toxic electronics - www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics.
Safety of cosmetic chemicals - www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php
Meat-free recipes - www.vegsoc.org.
Deconstructing Dinner - www.kootenaycoopradio.com
Sprouting beans - www.primalseeds.org/sprouting.htm
Toxicity of toys - HealthyToys.org
To get rid of your old fridge - www.bchydro.com
Designs for an urban veggie-garden - www.cityfarmboy.com
Natural lawn care - www.cityfarmer.org
Information on native plants - www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants
Water saving ideas - www.waterbucket.ca
Information on living without pesticides - www.pesticidefreebc.org
Information on children and screens - www.screensmart.ca
Fruit exchange program - www.revelstokebearaware.org/proofing.htm#Fruit
Office of energy efficiency - oee.nrcan.gc.ca
Books - available in the Okanagen Regional Library
The good house book, by Clarke Snell, a commonsense guide to alternative home building.
Last child in the woods, by Richard Louv, saving our children from nature deficit disorder.
The weather makers, by Tim Flannery, is an excellent and very readable look at climate
change.
North Columbia Environmental Society26
Now or never, also by Tim Flannery, is a very up-to-date look at climate change and what we
need to do about it.
Heat - how to stop the planet from burning, by George Monbiot, explains how to bring about
a 90% cut in emissions without bringing civilisation to a standstill.
The climate challenge - 101 solutions to global warming, by Guy Dauncey.
On good land, The autobiography of an urban farm, and Fields of Plenty, A farmer's journey
in search of real food and the people who grow it, both by Michael Ableman.
Food matters, by Mark Bittman, an every-day guide to eco-eating.
In defence of food, by Michael Pollan, all about what real food is and why we don`t need
experts to tell us what to eat.
The end of overeating, by David Kessler, explains how our bodies have been tricked into
eating poorly.
Fast food nation, by Eric Schlosser, is a look at where our food comes from, what it is and
how it is produced.
A short history of progress, by Richard Wright, about (among other things) the sustainability
of societies in history.
Earth in mind, by David W. Orr, a look at education processes which alienate us from our
environment.
Documentaries
Available at Video Express
Blue gold, checks out the war on water.
Flow, the crisis in fresh water supplies and private ownership.
An inconvenient truth Al Gore's informative look at climate change.
The corporation, this one makes you really think about our society.
The cove, a look at fishing practices and their effects on ocean life.
Available at Okanagen Regional Library
Manufactured landscapes, featuring Edward Burtynsky’s photography of the landscapes we
inhabit.
The end of suburbia, for an entertaining take on peak oil and the way we design our cities.
North Columbia Environmental Society27
Funding gratefully acknowledged from:
City Of Revelstoke
A Production of the North Columbia Environmental Society.
Published 2010
Copies available at the Community Center or download at www.northcolumbia.org
Text and design by Sue Davies, with help from Melissa Hemphill and Sarah Newton.
Please consider the environment before printing.
North Columbia Environmental SocietyYou can also read
