I am fresh from Simon Fraser University’s Sustainability Festival – in fact I am writing from the campus library. It’s true, I am still a student here yet barely – just one more class to go! I am glad Melody gave me the gentle nudge to make one extra trip up to the cold, rainy campus this week, I have gathered enough green tidbits from all the vendors and info booths for many blogs to come; today, however, we focus on the Eco Fashion Show, the theme of which was “Positive Change”. I am still a little leery when it come to the words “sustainability” and “fashion” placed anywhere near each other, despite my enthusiasm about all things innovative. While it’s true we’re past the rough hemp camisole phase of eco-friendly fashion there has been a lot left to be desired until very recently, at least for those of us who aren’t interested in having to do extensive research to find some funky earth-friendly threads. The common sentiment I hear a lot is that people want to “do the right thing” in terms of greening their life but they don’t have the time or motivation to do the research; that’s what we’re here for. As the rain poured beyond the cover of SFU’s Convocation Hall, a polynesian dancer warmed up the crowd. Summer is definitely over in Vancouver, I realized sadly as I watched the dancer invoke the tropics with her movements and coconut shell top.

Around thirteen local designers had their gear strutted on the makeshift runway and I must say despite my prediction coming true about what I would most likely see a lot of (hello, stretchy jersey knits!) I was still impressed by the range and versatility of the designs. Among my faves? A cool “worldbeat” inspired red t-shirt with a stitched yellow sun by Monkey 100, a hella funky ankle-length bright lime green dress decorated with some bamboo-like print by Dahlia Drive and I just love the versatile and stylish looks from Polymath Fashion. All the designers are listed on the Sustainability Festival’s website if you’re interested in checking out more conscious labels that are kind to the earth and easy on the eyes!

We live in a country where water seems abundant. We have clean potable water available to the majority of us by simply turning on the tap. In  the rest of the world, 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. Many of these 1.1 billion people would sell a kidney for potable water or give their life for a supply of potable water for their children. Why then, do we buy bottled water?

There is a perception among some people in Canada that our tap water is suspect. Look at Walkerton where 7 people died when agricultural waste leached e-coli into the water supply or at Metro Vancouver where there was a boil water advisory in November 2006 as a large storm breached the watershed.  It looks like our water may not be safe.  But, where does that bottle water come from? It comes from the same sources as our tap water does in many cases, so if our tap water is not safe how is it safe to put the same water into plastic bottles which they then sell back to us at a price per litre higher than gas.

Here are 3 good reasons to drink tap water

Cost

We complain about the price of a litre of gasoline, but are willing to pay even more for a litre of water. If gas came out of a tap in your house, would you go out and buy it in little plastic containers? If you buy one plastic bottle of water each day for a year, you are spending $547.50 per year. That is $547.60 you could put to a better use. Tap water only costs an average of $1.26 for 1000 litres in Canada, so 365 litres will cost you $0.46 plus the price of a reusable water container.  You choose between $547.50 and $0.46 annually.

The Environment

Let’s do the math on this one. It takes one barrel of oil to make about 5000 water bottles. In Toronto, where they have a successful recycling program, 35% of the 100 million plastic disposable bottles that are discarded each year end up in the landfill. That’s 35 million plastic bottles or 7000 modified barrels of oil going to the landfill per year. Why? Because we insist on paying extra for tap water in a bottle, and then tossing the bottle in the garbage.

That  brings us to the garbage dilemma. These 100 million bottles tossed in the landfill each year will each take up to 1000 years to biodegrade. How long can the environment sustain this level of toxic, non-biodegradable garbage? Ten years ago, we did not drink bottled water so this is yet another additional burden on our planet.

Your Health

Tap water is regulated by the your Provincial/Territorial Health Authority and bottled water is regulated by Canada’s Food and Drugs Act. This means that your tap water is probably tested at least once daily and at several points through out the system while bottled water is tested annually. If you think that contamination can only happen to tap water, think again. Can you think of any food recalls? There have been more food recalls in my town than there have been problems with tap water, and that is probably the same for you.

Another health issue related to regulation include those informative labels that we now have on our food. I think these labels are great, but they don’t always tell the entire story. When it comes to water, the  regulations need review for a number of reasons. Here is a quote from Health Canada with an explanation,

“Apart from setting limits on arsenic and lead, the current Regulations do not contain specific, detailed parameters for chemical and radiological contaminants in bottled water and packaged ice, so the Government uses the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality as a benchmark to assess the safety of bottled water. But nothing in the Regulations obliges manufacturers to observe the Guidelines during the production of bottled water and packaged ice.”

According to the labels on the bottled water we buy in Canada, it has no calories or sugar in it, but it might have nitrates, which are only safe in levels under 10. In Europe and many other parts of the world, bottled water labels must include the levels of nitrates. Here is an example of an informative water label.

What can you do?

1. Drink tap water at home and at work.
2. Buy a reusable water bottle and take it with you.
3. Ask for tap water when you are out.
4. Learn more and advocate for Canada’s water systems. Here are some places you can learn more…

http://www.ecojustice.ca/clean-water

http://www.safewater.org/

http://www.worldwater.org/

Lipstick has been around in one form or another for about 5000 years. Back then some of it was toxic. In that regard, not much has changed. However, one thing has changed. Five thousand years ago, the packaging wasn’t promoted as eco-friendly, delivery wasn’t touted as green, and the makers didn’t donate money to their favourite charity. These promotional campaigns are new. Although I appreciate the efforts of companies to work on all of the issues including packaging, shipping and community involvement, I believe that we should start with the product itself.

In that spirit, I have reviewed 8 lipsticks based on ingredients, location, and retail price. I will also try to mention if they are involved in regulatory campaigns such as the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, but may not get it all since there are so many options in this area.

To be consistent, I have used the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database to evaluate ingredients. I have looked up each ingredient individually to find it’s rating. I will indicate the number of ingredients in each lipstick brand that have been rated 3 or more which is considered moderate or high hazards in the database.

As for location, some of these companies are international in scope and some are Canadian-born. All of them have offices somewhere in Canada, and it is their Canadian office location that I have listed. Not all of them make their products in Canada.

The retail price, in the end, is often the deciding factor and the prices listed here are exclusive of taxes and shipping, where applicable. We all understand the need to spend carefully. However, I hope the prices listed here allow us all to rethink the myth that has evolved that “Green is too expensive” and “It’s not easy being green.”  These slogans are really just promotional campaigns and don’t reflect reality.

And we start on the east coast of our beautiful country…

Cosmic Tree in Dartmouth, N.S.  makes a lipstick that did not have any ingredients of concern. Instead they make all natural, artisan crafted, vegan lipsticks. They have four shades all of which you can find on their website along with the ingredients. They cost $12.50 for 4 grams. If you believe that you should be buying local and you live in the Maritimes, then this is your lipstick. They are signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

Pure + Simple is currently reformulating their lipsticks to make them smoother and creamier. Until that is done, this Toronto, Ontario company still offers their four lip glosses at their four locations at a cost of $19.95 for 4ml. Although I couldn’t find the ingredients listed on their website, a quick call and an email later, I can tell you that the ingredients in these lip glosses check out. Pure + Simple are signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

Plant Love lipstick by Cargo had a total of 8 ingredients that had ratings of 3 or more in the Skin Deep database. Another disappointment with this product was the one month it took them to respond to my request for an ingredients list. When the response came, it simple directed me to the website, where I had already looked. I did eventually find the ingredients without the help of their customer service centre. You can find their head office in Toronto, Ontario and you can pick up their lipstick for $20.00 for 0.14 oz.

Arbonne is an international company so the product is definitely not made in Canada, but they do have offices in Mississauga, Ontario. They are signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, which means that they follow the European Union’s ingredient restrictions, a good thing. Nevertheless, their About Face Sheer Shine had 4 ingredients that had ratings of 3 or more in the Skin Deep database. I did not find their ingredients listed on their Canadian website. However, when I emailed for an ingredients list, I was impressed not only with their rapid response but also the excellent set up they used for the list. They listed out the ingredients, what it was derived from such as plant, mineral or science and they listed the purpose of adding this ingredient into the product such as conditioner, colour and so on.

Suncoat Organic Lip Shimmer had one ingredient that earned a rating of 3 or more in the Skin Deep database. Besides that they have an excellent website that makes it easy to find the information you want. They have six colours to choose from with each costing $8.99 for 4.5 ml. Located in Guelph, Ontario, they are also signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

Pure Anada lipsticks are free of suspect ingredients. This company makes its home in Morden, Manitoba, and has a large array of colours to choose from, more so than any others I looked at for this review. For $12.00 you get a 3 gram lipstick. The website is chock full of excellent information for consumers who want to know more about what they are buying.  They are signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

Organic Beauty Plus is located in Lethbridge, Alberta but the products are originally from Australia, where each product has been certified independently for its organic content which is either 70% plus or 95% plus, depending on the content of ingredients that can’t be certified such as minerals, since they are not organic matter to begin with. The website has lots of consumer information and when I contacted them with a question, they were more than happy to oblige. One thing I really liked was being able to click on each ingredient to get more information. Organic Beauty Plus lip crème comes in six colours at a price of $28.95 for 5 grams

Dragonfly Dreaming doesn’t really have a lipstick per se, but if you want to keep your lips in tip top shape while adding a hint of colour, this may be the answer. Located in Cobble Hill, BC all of the ingredients of Hint o’ Tint check out in the Skin Deep database. When I called to ask about the ingredients, I was impressed with the product knowledge of the owner, who could very easily answer questions and took the time to explain things. They have also signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. You can purchase 10 ml of their Hint o’ Tint for $4.50.

I am sure that I have missed some fabulous Canadian companies, but then that is what the comments section is about. No matter what you put to your lips, enjoy it.

To make it easier to find the products and services you want, we have updated our search box to include a postal code search. Want to find a restaurant near you? Just choose ‘restaurant’ from the category list, enter your postal code and choose the distance you are willing to travel. From the over 800 listings we currently have, you will discover what is near you.

If your favourite business is missing, just let me know at melody@ethicalconsumer.ca and I will add them to the directory so that others in your local area can easily find them. Our aim is to be the most comprehensive Canadian resource for ethical consumers and values-based businesses so we are always looking to grow and your help is appreciated.

Since we are talking about adding new businesses, we decided that for the month of September, anyone who joins our Facebook page, can recommend two of their favourite sustainable businesses. Each business will receive four months of a premium listing. Businesses must be up to ethicalconsumer.ca standards and our ‘terms and conditions’ still apply. At Ethical Consumer, we put the power back in the hands of the consumer.

So, join our Facebook page and put a link to your favourite business on the wall and tell us why they are so fabulous. If you are promotion shy, you can also send me an email at melody@ethicalconsumer.ca, but I think telling the world about them is a better idea.

Oh, and once the four months are up, that business stays in the directory since all basic listings are free, just without the bells and whistles.

Thank you for all your support and happy choosing!

Melody O.

I have mentioned the precautionary principle in past posts and thought it time to take a closer look at what this really means. The European Union does not have an official definition even though they use the principle. Instead the EU has a working definition suggested by Rene von Schomberg et al:

“Where, following an assessment of available scientific information, there are reasonable grounds for concern for the possibility of adverse effects but scientific uncertainty persists, provisional risk management measures based on a broad cost/benefit analysis whereby priority will be given to human health and the environment, necessary to ensure the chosen high level of protection in the Community and proportionate to this level of protection, may be adopted, pending further scientific information for a more comprehensive risk assessment, without having to wait until the reality and seriousness of those adverse effects become fully apparent”.

So what does this really mean?

According to a Communication from Commission of the European Communities, its scope is wide and deep, covering many issues.

The Precautionary Principle goes beyond how you and I may be affected in the here and now, beyond even how we might be affected in 50 years, and includes how future generations may be affected by the decisions we make today. This is no easy situation. How can we possibly know how something is going to affect the 7th generation? We can’t, but that doesn’t mean anything goes unless we can definitively prove harm, nor should we aim for zero risk. Neither zero risk or anything goes is viable.

Instead, the Precautionary Principle is used where “scientific information is insufficient, inconclusive, or uncertain and where there are indications that the possible effects on the environment, or human, animal or plant health may be potentially dangerous and inconsistent with the chosen level of protection.”

The Precautionary Principle is part of risk management and the following general principles of risk management apply within the principle.

1. Proportionality means that the appropriate level of protection must be sought. Can we be protected from everything? I think not, but we can find a level of protection that gives us all a fair shot at a sustainable life now and in the future, without serious health and environmental crises.
2. Non-discrimination means that although there is not a one-size fits all solution, each solution must be comparable to similar situations. As stated in the Commissions Communications “comparable situations should not be treated differently and that different situations should not be treated in the same way, unless there are objective grounds for doing so.
3. Consistency means that we should look to what has already happened in similar situations and use similar approaches to make decisions.
4. Examination of the benefits and costs of action and lack of action This means that we must look at the pros and cons of both action and inaction to compare the likely consequences of each choice. This is a short-term and long-term benefits and cost analysis meant to look at the non-economic implications more so than the economic implications.
5. The examination of scientific developments is important as new information comes available based on further study. When measures are brought in based on unreliable, inadequate of inconclusive data, then those measures must be periodically reviewed based on new information. Once the information is more reliable, complete and accurate measures can be maintained, tightened or relaxed, as necessary.

The final aspect of the Precautionary Principle is the burden of proof.  Currently for some industries such as pharmaceuticals the burden of proof is on the industry to prove the product “safe” before it can be put to market. Some industries market products that by their nature could be harmful and should then assume the burden of proof. In other industries, that do not have the same history or probability of potential harm, then it is up to consumers to sound the bell. Once the government has received sufficient information from consumers to doubt the safety of the product, the burden of proof can shift to the company.

Welcome back to school! As we stock pile supplies, lined paper will be high on the lists for note taking as will printer paper for printing off all that Internet research students are doing these days.

Before we fill up on paper at the local big box office supply store, let’s sit back for a moment and think about ways to reduce the amount of paper we will use this year. Schools, tight on money, could also reduce their paper use, saving precious paper and money. Here are some suggestions

• Take notes on your computer whenever possible and only print them out when absolutely necessary.
• Rethink the hard copy. If your child is researching on the web, does she really need to print out everything she finds? Encourage your kids to read it online and bookmark it for future use.
• It may seem obvious, but run a spell check and use the preview feature before printing so that you reduce the number of drafts that you print out.
• If the teacher is in the habit of handing out singled sided worksheets, have your child use the other side for note taking.
• Ask your child’s teacher to email you notices home rather than sending all those duplicate paper copies that never make it home, although I must say my kids make great paper airplanes.
• If the school administration send newsletters home, ask them to email them and/or put them up on the school website, if available.
• If they must send out paper copies, encourage them to send only one copy to each household instead of each child. This may take a bit of organization at the beginning of the year but will pay off.
• Ask your school to encourage teachers to use both sides of the paper, instead of single sided handouts this year.
• If your child’s school does not have a paper recycling program, start one. If the school has one but you still see lots of paper in the garbage, work with the school to improve the percentage of paper that goes into the recycle bins vs. the garbage bins.

How much paper does Canada use anyway, and what effects does this have on our lives: what is the cost? Here are some paper facts to consider.

• Canada uses 7,476 metric tons of paper and paper board products each year, which puts us in the top ten paper product consuming countries in the world.
• BC is home to one quarter of the world’s remaining ancient temperate rainforests, which now cover only 0.2% of the the world’s land surface. This makes them the most endangered type of forest in the world.
• 90% of logging in BC happens in ancient forests with 40% of felled trees becoming paper. The rate of forest destruction is one of the main reasons that one of of eight animals species in BC is at risk of extinction.

For every collective ton of 100% post consumer paper we use, we together save 24 trees and 7000 gallons of water. Start by reducing your paper needs by reusing paper as much as possible.

So when you are out shopping choose the paper with the highest content of post consumer waste. I know that 100% post consumer paper is near impossible to find so if you can’t find it, don’t be surprised. Just buy the best choice you can and use paper wisely.

Have a good school year!