We have known for many years that paint needs proper disposal, which might be why 38% of us with paint to get rid of still have it kicking around. Many of us think we might be doing touch ups later or maybe just don’t know what to do with it. I have to admit I still have some paint tucked away that I thought I might use again to touch up spots. Hadn’t thought much of it until I read this study, but now I realize it is time to get rid of it.

The good news is that only 4% of Canadians toss paint into the garbage. Over half of us dispose of it properly by taking to proper waste depots or returning it to suppliers. If you are looking to dispose of some old paint like I am (Let’s face it. I am not doing the touch ups.), then go to http://www.productcare.org/ - an industry-sponsored program - and click on your province. Currently, there are programs in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. It takes a few clicks but you will eventually get a list of depots near you.

They also have links to other provincial programs on their links page; so if they don’t work in your province, see if they have a link to a paint disposal program near you.

The paint options are quite varied now and you can buy paint that is far more environmentally friendly than in the past.  Here are two suppliers from opposite sides of the country that offer alternatives for our walls, our families and the planet.

New Brunswick www.eco-house.com/

British Columbia www.greenpaint.ca/

We spent $4.2 billion dollars on computers in 2006 and 64% of us now carry cell phones. I kept my last cell phone until is stopped working and my computer tech says my computer isn’t doing too bad for its age. But we have 3 or 4 computers and everyone except my youngest daughter has their own cell phone, music device, camera and so on so we are still tech junkies no matter which way you look at it.

These devices that we love - yes you, reading this online article - contain lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium to name a few toxins. Over one third of Canadians store old IT waste at home, one half of us give it away, drop it off at a depot or return it to a supplier and about 16% of Canadians are still trashing their old IT.

Computers for Schools
Industry Canada has a program to turn surplus computers into resources for public schools, libraries and not for profit learning organizations, allowing young people to access information technology and learn the skills needed for their future. To sign your corporation up you can go to Computers for Schools and find the donation form. Or as an individual, you can go to the provincial list of contacts.

Electronics Product Stewardship Canada is an industry lead not for profit organization working on solutions to Canadian IT waste. To find a current manufacturer’s recycling program or a provincial program you can go to their resources page and look for a program near you.

Gil Yaron, the “ecopreneur” behind earth-friendly online office supply shop Frogfile, shares some information about how businesses can make greener choices when it comes to paper, the ubiquitous office resource.

Offices are notorious for heavy paper consumption; the average office worker goes through a whopping 10,000 sheets of it in a single year. It is important for companies to make it known to their employees, and vice versa, that paper is not just an ever-present fixture, it’s a commodity that happens to be highly resource-intensive. Using paper more wisely, however, is only half the battle.

When asked about the easiest ways businesses can cut down on their paper consumption, Gil advises not printing reports, emails or other documents unless necessary and to incentivize staff or departments based on reduced consumption through contests or benefits.

Where socially responsible paper products available to Canadians are concerned, Gil tells EC, “There is no issue about ethical sourcing when it comes to papers manufactured in Canada and the US as far as I am aware, other than possibly unionization. Key criteria for consideration is source of fibre, percentage of post-consumer recycled content, processed chlorine-free or totally chlorine-free bleaching, location of mill in proximity to customer, certifications and third party verification of claims made regarding the paper, method of shipping the paper to market.”

Shipping remains a major contributor to the carbon footprint of various industries and is still an area that requires some serious innovation. Gil suggests that companies delivering paper can use biodiesel to reduce GHG emissions while businesses can consolidate their ordering to reduce the amount of deliveries being made. Frogfile has a number of programs in place to encourage customers to do this.

Where will Frogfile be in five years? Gil says, “I really have no idea. I imagine that when the market rebounds we will continue on an upward trajectory with great public interest in eco products generally. Many think we will remain a niche player, but I can only hope that our offerings will become mainstream.”

So do we!

Check out EC’s brand-spankin’-new EC Buying Guide: Paper to learn more about earth-conscious choices.

Christmas has come and gone and just about now, those batteries from all the new toys, phones, and music players have died and been recharged or disposed of and replaced. In 2004, Canadians purchased around 450 million batteries and disposed of about 348 million batteries. That number is growing.

Many of the batteries we dispose of contain heavy metals that pose a threat to our environment if not dealt with properly, yet 60% of Canadians still put dead batteries in the garbage. Only about 25% of us dispose of batteries properly. The rest of us tuck them away somewhere in our homes, either because we don’t know what to do with them and probably have it on the bottom of a to do list that found its way into paper recycling bin eons ago.

There are three types of batteries to dispose of

• Non-rechargeable batteries also called alkaline batteries are the least dangerous of the three and many provinces do not have provincial programs set up for them. However, you can still find retailers and private companies that do have programs set up.  The only national retail program that I know of is the Future Shop/Best Buy program so if you happen to shop there, you can drop off your non-rechargeable batteries. I called them to ask for more information but just got the run around so what happens next is a mystery.
• Rechargeable batteries contain toxic substances such as nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and small sealed lead (Pb). Canada has a program that has been running since 1994, Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC).  Canadian Tire takes rechargeable batteries and old cell phones nationally so if you are looking to dispose of old batteries, that’s one place. If not, go to http://www.rbrc.org/ and enter your postal code to get a list of place to return your used rechargeable batteries. Either way they head down to the States, where the materials are separated and reclaimed.
• Automotive batteries are often recycled when you get your car battery changed and the good news is that about 90% of car batteries in Canada are recycled which means that the 8 to 12 kg of lead in each battery does not leach into our soil and waterways. If you do need to dispose of one, call your local Canadian Tire and ask as some stores accept old car batteries.