Ideally booking a hotel in an area rich in the sights that you want to take in will alleviate questions of how to get about. Once you’ve made it to your destination, try renting bicycles and see the sights on two wheels. Many destinations now have inexpensive bike rentals and what better way to make parking nightmares go away. I remember being surprised that you can’t buy a car in Tokyo without proof of a parking space. A parking space in Tokyo cost more than housing where I came from and I can only imagine it isn’t getting cheaper.

Bikes are also good for those small winding roads that North Americans are unaccustomed to driving on but that can be found in many parts of the world. Cycling also allows you to stop here and there to take in the daily sites along the way and get to know the people and places along the way. You are on vacation. What’s the rush?

If there are sights that are just too far from your hotel, try public transportation. Are you looking for adventure? I have had many adventures on buses and trains in cities and towns including getting lost to meeting new friends who have dropped their daily errands to take me on a tour of their town. There is no better tour guide than a local who is keen to meet new people and show off his or her favourite haunts.

One of my favourite vacations was to Korea, where we met some new friends who took us around to the sights for a day. We had the best time, learned a great deal about Korean people and history and made good friends. Seoul from a tour bus window would have lacked the richness of experience, the sights, sounds, ideas exchanged and we wouldn’t have learned as much as we did about the people and the culture. I am forever indebted.

Travel by foot, bike or public transportation and don’t be afraid to get lost, take detours or make new friends.

My children and I were walking along when suddenly they both froze. No matter what I said they stood stalk still, not a sound. And then I heard it: the ice truck. Summer is upon us and our thoughts are turning to summer vacation, sunny days, and, of course, ice cream. While you plan your summer excursions, make room for sustainability. Here’s a tip or two…

While travelling, we often indulge in life’s luxuries, excusing ourselves from our daily regimen of diet and exercise along with the discipline we hold ourselves to in other areas. It is nice to get away and not be tied to the expectations of home and work. That is what a vacation is all about really. Where do we draw the line on our new limits? And what can we do to help our host city be sustainable.

Sunrise near Maitland

Before you book that hotel, ask them about their green policies. A hotel’s ability to be sustainable is not linked to the number of stars it has earned, so no matter what your budget you can likely find a green hotel that suits. If you are travelling inside Canada, consider one of the hotels listed here. If you are travelling outside Canada, check out http://www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/

If your favourite hotel isn’t listed, ask them about the restocking of your sheets, towels and toiletries. Make it clear to the front desk that you do not want your room restocked everyday. Also, ask about a recycling program. If they don’t have one, ask where in the neighbourhood you could recycle your plastics and paper and let them know that they should have a recycling program.

Take your own water bottle and fill it up each day, unless you’ve been told not to drink the water. Turn off or down the air-conditioning when you are out and unplug electronics you won’t be using. Did you turn down and/or unplug things at home before you left?

Travelling is a fantastic experience. I left Canada when I was fresh out of university and spent about four years away. I loved it. I learned from it. I encourage others to see the world with fresh eyes even though I am aware of the environmental costs of travel. I suggest we cut down on the environmental costs as much as possible while allowing the experience to enrich our lives and expand our minds.  Over the next few weeks, I will have a few more suggestions for travelling ‘light.’

Without wanting to give away TMI – that’s an acronym I invented for “Too Much Information” – I am dying to recount my reflections as a recent hire at a non-profit – please note, NOT the wonderfully green organization Ethical Consumer. I don’t mean for this to be some scathing exposé or critique whatsoever, as the organization is undoubtedly outstanding, but my first couple of weeks have been a serious wake-up call in terms of where I idealistically thought we were and how far we actually need to go with regard to sustainable, earth-conscious business and it becoming the rule rather than the exception.

To me, sustainability shouldn’t be some daunting hurdle to be clumsily and grudgingly leapt over, a distant problem no one wants to deal with. It should be easy. Yes, I said it – easy. Once some core systems are in place, sustainability can be a breeze! If there are guidelines and established systems in place, employees and managers alike will follow them. If one has to go out of their way to do something “green” around the workplace, unless this is a priority of theirs, chances are they won’t. It’s a pretty well known fact that humans can be pretty lazy – hence our myriad of efficiency tools: remote controls, garlic presses and coin sorters, take note.

The organization I work for touts itself as Zero Waste. These two words are music to my ears! I was so excited to finally be working for an organization that took this commitment seriously and was forging ahead and setting a good example for our surrounding communities. But what, exactly, does Zero Waste mean?

My inherent understanding of the term would be a literal translation – our waste output is zero. According to the ever-handy Wikipedia definition, “Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource-use systems in such a way that waste is reduced to zero. Put simply, zero waste extends current approaches to recycling by introducing the concept of circular systems in which as much waste as possible is reused, similar to the way that resources are reused in nature.” Sounds pretty darn awesome, right?

On the ground, there is a lot we are doing to fulfill this environmental promise but there is a lot more to be done. For me, it’s the simple little things we can do in our every day work that can be modified to suit a greener system as a whole. Sourcing eco-friendly office supplies from greener vendors, reeling in paper usage, ensuring recycling awareness and accessibility and including staff in the decision-making process are all important steps to truly greening an organization, not just slapping a logo on the website and calling it a day. Zero Waste is a process, not simply a static end result.

It can be hard to walk into a new place and see all the things you feel could be changed for the better. I’m not exactly a shrinking violet so instead of complaining loudly, I think I’ll start with gentle suggestions and go from there.

Zero Waste Logo

Today is World Ocean’s Day and next Sunday is Canadian Rivers Day. We take from our waters large amounts of creatures which we dine on and enjoy so much. There was a report out recently that stated that the world’s fisheries could collapse by 2048 if we do not start to adopt sustainable habits. So the last time I sat down for some seafood, I wondered what life would be like without our rich and abundant waterways. Not a world I am ready to live in.

So as a consumer what can I do? Recently, I learned that a program called Ocean Wise has gone national. Next time I plan on heading out for dinner with friends, I will find an Oceanwise restaurant. Eating fish that has been recommended by Ocean Wise allows you to enjoy each morsel knowing that it has been harvested in a manner that limits bycatch. Dolphins as a bycatch of Tuna is probably the best known example. You will also have pleasant thoughts about the ocean floor and other ocean habitats which received no or limited damage. The fish you will be eating will have come from a well managed stock that is abundant and resilient.

In fact, there is no reason not to make a reservation at your favourite Ocean Wise restaurant and head out with friends to celebrate World Ocean Day. You can toast with your favourite wine while you each make a commitment to enjoy seafood sensibly.

June is here and father’s day is just around the corner. At our house, dad is one of the most difficult people to buy for and I always appreciate some ideas. Here are some eco-friendly picks for dads everywhere that show love for dad and the planet.

For Sporty Dad
Bamboo socks: great for warmer weather, these socks are cooler, drier and odour-free. They’re 2-3 times cooler in warmer temperatures, absorb moisture 3-4 times better than cotton and contain the anti-bacterial cultivating agent ‘bamboo kun’. Ankle socks $10, crew $13

For more information about wearing bamboo in warm weather:

http://lavishandlime.blogspot.com/2009/05/be-cool-in-bamboo-must-have-for-summer.html

For Take-a-Lunch Dad
Reusable sandwich wrap: save money on plastic baggies and reduce landfill waste with this simple, fresh idea that can be used for a whole year. Folds out into a place mat for a clean place to eat and keeps sandwiches/snacks fresh. Classic black is great for dad and fits perfectly into a briefcase/laptop bag. New golf and camouflage designs or classic black are ideal for dad. $10.50.

For Naked Chef Dad
He can cover up in the kitchen or at the barbecue with this funky grey cafe-style half apron featuring a unique bird design. Made of a linen/cotton mix with eco-friendly inks. $35

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For Shower-Lovin’ Dad
Remind him every morning he’s a star with this handy little star-shaped digital shower timer. (It will also be a big help keeping him on schedule in the morning and go a long way to reducing water use.). The timer displays a no-fog real time clock and easy-to-program count down timer that beeps when your shower time is up. Battery operated, steam proof, shatter proof and water proof. From Australia, land of the 4 minute shower. $16

Enjoy your day with dad!

Two of Hearts is a Vancouver-based clothing line and boutique co-created by CiCi designer Jenny Yen and Togs designer Tabitha Savoie.

After meeting at a fashion show in 2005, the pair became fast friends and eventually decided to launch a joint line that would address their concerns for the environment through responsible, wearable design. EC had a chance to ask a few questions about their line and recently opened boutique, so read on to find out what’s up with Vancouver’s cutest eco-fashions on the block…

EC: Who is Two of Hearts?

ToH: We are two designers who love design and also doing what we can to help the local economy and environment.

EC: You say you were inspired to start the line after seeing how badly polluted it is in modern day China, driven in part by Western consumption and our penchant for “cheap”. Can you speak a little more on this?

ToH: Yes, we are conscious of these things. Especially knowing how our products are made and in what type of working conditions, we pay fair wages to manufacture here in Vancouver. The conditions we saw in China were terrible! We saw a packaging company subject its workers to an unsafe environment. The whole factory was boiling hot and the workers were not wearing masks so they were inhaling all the chemical fumes, plus they were manually fixing the kinks when the plastic film was extruded, risking their hands being caught in the roller machines!

EC: How do you source your sustainable materials? I have heard that even organic cotton and bamboo are being imported from developing nations/China; is this true? Do you think there are alternatives? Are there any Canadian companies able to supply the raw textiles?

ToH: Yes, almost all fabric comes from Asia. It will be some time before Canada starts to make their own fabric again or even the United States. It will take the gas prices to go sky high before this industry will ever become a reality again in North America.  We are, however, building back manufacturing with the amount of smaller companies keeping their business here in Canada.

EC: Since you’ve started Two of Hearts, have you noticed an increase in demand for such products? Do you think greener clothing is still a priority for people with all the hoopla over the so-called “economic crisis”? What would you like to see happen in your industry in the next five years?

ToH: Two of Hearts was well received since we introduced the line. People understand they have to pay a bit more for eco. I would like to see at least more eco fabric companies being offered in Canada, more choice in fabrics, more organic cotton and also further development of sustainable material which can be made into fabric. It would be nice to also have more manufacturers here again.

EC: So you opened a boutique on Main St. recently - very cool! As business owners, entrepreneurs and designers all rolled into one, can you talk about some of the challenges and rewards you have experienced working for yourselves in a reputedly tough industry?

ToH: It’s rewarding to offer our customers a place which houses the complete line, plus things no other store will have, whether it be a style, fabric or just the colour. It is also rewarding to create jobs – since starting, we now employ two part-time staff and one manager.

EC: Have you greened your boutique/office/studio at all? Do you have any suggestions for other business-owners who are looking to do the same thing?

ToH: We have taken small steps in the right direction in this area such as using biodegradable bags and recylable bags. We do our part in recycling bottles and plastics and also using up fabric scraps at our studio whether it be for small bags, change purses and small accessories, some of these scraps are used to clean our studio and we also donate them to screen printers as rags too. We also started to shut down our computers and electrical devices every night to conserve energy and took many of our lights down for the summertime. I think small changes are making a difference.

Thanks, Two of Hearts! So do we! To score some easy compliments, check out the collection online and find your perfect piece.

When I started www.ethicalconsumer.ca one year ago today, I was unaware of the impact such a resource could have. I had been seeking out ethical businesses as part of my own quest to live a sustainable life and create a sustainable planet for everyone. When I realized that I had collected several hundred, I decided to start www.ethicalconsumer.ca. It would be a shame to do all that work and not share. Since I started paying attention to the number of visitors last July, the traffic to the site has grown by almost 200%. Obviously, there is a need for this type of resource in Canada and I am thrilled to provide it.

Thank you to Canadian consumers who have referred their favourite businesses to the directory, reviewed businesses, commented on the blog, sent in questions and requests and used our directory to find sustainable products and services. This is what a site like this is all about. Next year, we will be asking you what else you would like to see so that we can develop the site into the resource that each ethical consumer can rely on to find what s/he needs.

Thank you to all of the Canadian businesses that have added themselves to the directory as well as referred their colleagues. I am constantly amazed at their dedication to creating jobs that pay fair wages, to providing products and services that do not harm the environment, to offering outstanding customer service all while running a profitable business that feeds their own family. They have also provided inspiration and information to me when I needed either.

Thank you to all the support systems that have given me the ability to get through this first year. I have had business support from service providers such as SnapTech and wedohosting.com. Geneva Bokowski, who is our most popular blogger and buying guide author, has help whenever and wherever needed. Zoey Ryan has guided me through some tough times including the deterioration of my mother’s health, who after a long year of illness and many hours of care giving on my part, moves into an extended care hospital today. Lastly, but definitely not the least, to my family. I have the best two daughters a mother could ever ask for.

I am excited about what year two brings and invite all of the ethical consumer community to join me in shaping this resource that will, I hope, do it’s part in shaping a new economy and a new culture that will bring us all into a sustainable future.

As my mother used to say, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” And as more people find the will to change, the way will become a clear path.

My best to you,
Melody Owen
melody@ethicalconsumer.ca