The 2008 Green Challenge is underway - go green and win!
Last year, in conjunction with Canadian Living Magazine's green issue, we invited you to sign up for 30 days of tips on greener living. The feedback was phenomenal and we couldn't help but come back with something bigger and better for 2008.
Our inspiration was this: instead of just offering tips on greener living, let's go one step further and share our stories of how we're trying to live more environmentally friendly lives. So for the next 30 days, that's what you'll be hearing about: our attempts and our failures, our eco successes and our eco sins.
But even more than sharing our stories with our readers, we want to hear from you, too. Tell us: how are you changing your daily lives? What's easy and what's a challenge? We'll choose our favourite 30 stories and post them on this blog starting on Earth Day, April 22. And everyone who submits one of the selected stories will win one of our 30 fabulous daily prizes (check back soon to find out what they are). You can send your stories to greenchallenge@canadianliving.com; please make sure they're no more than 300 words.
And to top it all off, we have a grand prize on offer: an Energy Star-rated dishwasher. You can enter once per day – just make sure to visit the Green Living Blog to get the daily code word.
Today's code word: green.
Read more:
• Guide to organic and eco-friendly bedding
• 19 eco-friendly gift ideas
• Shopping with a conscience
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:53 am
I have put all of my entertainment system on a power bar. I turn the power bar off when not using the system. I also did that with the computer. I am saving almost $20 per month on my electric bill! It is surprising to learn that TVs and other electronics draw power when not in use.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
I use energy efficient light bulbs and plug up electrical outlets to keep out drafts.
March 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I recycle all food waste. We have a green bin pick up every 2 weeks. The green bin can have a very disgusting odour!!! when left for two weeks.
So I put all meat and left over food in brown lunch bags and freeze them until green bin pick up day. It keeps the bin cleaner and no odour!!
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
My biggest challenge has been getting the rest of my family on the green track. My husband was supportive to changing the all our bulbs to CFLs and we upgrading our air conditioner and fridge an energy efficient models. We have saved quite a bit on our hydro bill with just those changes. However, getting our teens to turn off lights when not in the room is still an ongoing challenge. We also replaced the shower heads in both bathrooms with low flow models and that coupled with the new large capacity energy efficient washer and dryer we purchased, we’ve noted a big different in the amount of water usage. In good weather, I usually hang my clothes outside so the dryer is not used much during the warmer months. Because of the large capacity washer, I’ve been able to reduce the number of weekly washing loads, which has also helped not only to save the environment, but also save us a lot of money too.
I am still encouraging the rest of the family that recycling is important and to sort their garbage. Our community has a green bin program for kitchen waste as well as the recycling program for paper goods and tins, etc. I also have a composter in the backyard which is added to until it is full and frozen and then everything goes in my green bin. I find I’m the only one to sort plastics, Kleenex, cardboard, etc. as my family don’t seem to care about recycling as much as possible.
I believe if we all took the time to consider our wasteful habits and to change them in a positive direction we would not be trying to find places to truck garbage like Toronto.
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I recycle out the ying-yang. I just wish the food industry would too!
March 22nd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I switched to energy efficient light bulbs throughout my home. It has saved money and makes me feel better. I also use LED lights on my christmas tree. they are safer and lovely.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I installed a wood pellet stove. The pellets are made of sawdust and it burns very clean. No more oil to heat the house and the furkids love laying in front of it.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
i take cloth shopping bags with me when i do my grocery shopping as well as any other shopping thereby reducing the use of plastic bags which take years to breakdown in our landfills. i would be willing to pay a little more for my food and other products if companies were forced to only produce eco friendly packaging; its time our government stepped in to enforce this.
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I switched to a high energy efficiency washer & dryer. I air dy all my clothes- in both the winter and summer months.
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:39 am
We put our furnace on a programmable thermastat. That way the house isn't being heated so much when we aren't home.
My children and I also walk to school reducing the vechicle exhaust and fuel usage. (And it is good exercise!) To work I carpool with co-workers until it is warm enough I can ride my bike.
We have taught our son and daughter how to recycle and we have a compost bin so we have reduced our contribution to the landfill dramatically. In the summer I water my outdoor plants with collected rain water.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:24 am
For the past 2 years our family has been working at living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Most of the early changes were easy and relatively painless. One challenge that we have struggled with is reducing the amount of plastic we purchase.
At times, it can be impossible to find any option that doesn't involve plastic, but it is even more frustrating when the plastic part is only the packaging.
March 26th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
i make sure all products i buy are recyclable material. we have changed all of our light bulbs, wash our clothes in cold water, hang our clothes to inside in winter,outside in summer,we are a family of six so showers are limited, we walk or ride our bikes as much as possible. all of our products are non toxic and most food is bought locally or grown at home, we always use reusable bags.we are in the process of changing our appliances and the furnace is maintained at a particular number that takes some getting use to.