Enviro-mental

Now it is possible to look up eco-friendly events in your area, sorted by location and date. Planetfriendly.org has released their Green and Environmental Conferences Calendar. Topics range from pollution to green homes to cars and pedestrians. If you have an event to promote, you can also submit it to be posted.

While the site is Canadian-based, more and more international events are being added. Planetfriendly’s Green Jobs in Canada board is busily trafficked with new worldwide job opportunities posted every day.

If you have never browsed through the site, set aside some time to go through its fabulous resources.

It’s been cold in Canada for the last couple of weeks. And Canadian wisdom dictates several practices when it comes to driving in Canadian winters:

• Snow tires are a requisite for those who ski regularly, or for city folk worried their streets won’t be plowed;
• During a storm, windshield wiper blades should be lifted off the glass to prevent sticking, and
• Cars must be warmed up before embarking on a trip.

But apparently idling the engine is not only unnecessary but wasteful and polluting as well. The City of Toronto has an idling by-law, whereby vehicles are not permitted to idle for more than three minutes per hour. According to the city’s website, a gasoline engine burns about 3.5 litres of fuel per hour of idling, or about 3% of Ontario’s total fuel. And 10 seconds of idling uses more gas than restarting the engine.

Apparently driving the car at a slow speed for about five minutes warms it up faster, without detrimental effects.

If the idea of smog and greenhouse gases don’t turn you off idling, how about the idea that idling 10 minutes uses 20 cents of gas. Not a huge amount, but not insignificant for those who usually leave their cars on while they run into the store or put on their coats.

Does throwing out food negatively impact the environment?

Awareness Raising

One report on overconsumption, food waste and the environment comes from the United Kingdom and is posted on meatprocess.com. It details the 2008 part of a lecture series given by “industry veteran and farmer” Lord Christopher Haskins.

In simple terms, Haskins says we waste too much energy and food, and that we eat too much. He seems to be one of the first to link the seemingly distinct issues of climate change and food supply, saying that if we rescued wasted food we could solve the “Malthusian problem” of population growth outstripping food production capabilities.

How much Food is Wasted?

• Haskins’ guess is that about 50% of food goes to waste.
• According to the article, in the UK about 30% of food bought in shops is wasted in homes.
• A February 9th Toronto Star article cites U.S. research that 14% of food is wasted.
  

Haskins apparently blames wastage in stores on overstocking and either on customers that are too picky about buying perfect-looking produce, or stores think that they will be and don’t put the bruised stuff out. And what about “two for one” deals?

I thought the era of “Supersize Me” foods was over.

The Bottom Line

Not only are we growing, transporting, and processing food using huge energy inputs, a large percentage of that food is going to waste.

Students in culinary school are learning more about where food comes from, ecosystem sustainability and what it means to buy local. And also inspiring to see it’s happening all across Canada.

This culinary approach can be referred to as “Farm to Fork” - and that’s not just the tagline of the pork marketing boards any more.

For those not lucky enough to spend their days learning how to cook up local delicacies, there are internship, apprenticeship, and volunteer opportunities with organic farms available for the taking.

It’s never a bad idea to see where exactly your food comes from.

I’m going to leave the default first topic title because I think it’s quite appropriate for this blog. And I’d like to say “hello” back. As should you.

It seems we have become unacquainted with our world, which we neglect through direct harm, inaction and apathy. We no longer see the connection between what we do and how it impacts the environment.

Pretend you are dating the earth. Would you have a trusting, respectful relationship? Or would it break up with you if it could?

My hope for Enviro-mental is to get people thinking more about their impact on the environment, and to help those feeling overwhelmed, confused, or terrified at the prospect of starting to move toward a more sustainable future. So am I. But it’s easier when we do it together.

Cheers,

Jill