greenliving

Airports fascinate me. I mean, how many other places can you name, where masses of humanity congregate for just a few hours of their time, giving way to newer people, newer faces, all going to different destinations. So, on my recent flight to San Francisco to visit my mother, I was rather surprised to see a young gentlemen sitting peacefully amidst all the hustle and bustle, with a smile on his face. He must have been around 18, and had on the customary teenage uniform, comprising of jeans and a tee shirt, with headphones over his ears. But what was different about him was the fact that in his hands, he had a book. Not a comic book or one usually read by the young. He was in fact reading Adria Vasil’s Ecoholic. For those of you who don’t know this book, it’s a fantastic account of environmentally friendly products and services available in Canada. When I finally cornered him at the check in queue and asked him why he was smiling (an odd question no doubt, but he didn’t seem to mind), he told me it was because he was enjoying the book. Not the ‘metal music’ I could hear pounding away on his eardrums, but the book he was reading! Renews your faith in the next generation, doesn’t it?

Of course I have a copy of Ecoholic and for those of you who want to do some serious reading, it’s worth investing in it. You can also visit her site at www.ecoholic.ca

Am back and this time it was a super vacation to the Canadian Rockies. For those who have been there, you’ll know what I’m taking about. For those who haven’t - two words- Go there! Right now. Ok, so that’s four words, but oh, truer words were never spoken.

When we first moved to Canada, our impression of the country prior to the plane touching ground, was lots of mountains, clear air, sparkling lakes, bears and …this last impression was mine alone, definitely not shared by my husband - hunky men! Canada has definitely lived up to my expectations. And for hunky men - the rockies it is! Actually, the area has just about everything a gal - green or otherwise, would love. It’s amazing to see acres and acres of forested land and spotting our first bear, elk, moose and deer - all just meandering along the roadside, left us pretty dumbstruck. Of course, the easiest way to spot an animal is to stop next to the line up of tourists in cars, RV’s and bikes - all with their cameras out, clicking away furiously. My husband swears the animals get trained and paid (in grass, the munching kind i.e.) to stand around, because they seemed to be quite at ease with the situation, and a lot of our best views were in towns such as Jasper and Lake Louise and around public areas such as gas stations and golf courses. We sensible folk of course know that this is because they probably get fed by tourists - naughty naughty. But more on that later. For now, am off to unload the dirty laundry and get back into city life.

If you can’t afford to take public transport, or swap your car for a hybrid, then the next best thing is to try and maximize the efficiency of your current vehicle. You can do this in a number of ways:

1. Slow down: By sticking to the speed limits, especially on highways, you’ll use 20% less fuel. The slower you drive, the more you save.

2. Use natural air conditioning: Opening your windows and switching off your car’s air conditioning will save you another 20%. On the highways, this may not be possible, but while cruising along city roads, give it a try.

3. Pump up your tires: Proper tire pressure can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by an eight of a ton a year. So, keep a little tire gauge handy and check tire pressure often.

4. Clean out your trunk: By loading your car with unnecessary equipment, you’ll only be making it heavier and leading it to gobble up more fuel. Unload the groceries and remove your golf clubs as soon as you get home.

5. Carpool: If you are using your vehicle, then get others to share it. And take turns, so yours is not the only car driving around the block.