First and foremost, the first winner of my book contest is (more...)

Lots and lots going on in the city of Toronto regarding plastic bags. I've been sitting on the edge of my seat! The city has decided to get cracking on its plan to divert waste by 70 per cent by 2010. After much anticipation and speculation the city announced yesterday that customers at retail stores will be expected to pay a (more...)

I have a special surprise for you all today! Jennifer Villamere, our senior web editor here at Canadian Living, is guest blogging. Read on to learn about what she has to say about eco-friendly countertops.

(more...)

This is going to be a big post - complete with a contest!!! Read on for details.

With the holidays around the corner, I've decided that on a weekly basis I'll give you some green gift ideas. So, starting today I will pass on some ideas, and continue to do so every Friday until Christmas. Can you believe we're just a month away? Today's theme is (more...)

I read an article in Friday's Globe and Mail about how there is a current mission underway to figure out how to recycle mattresses. Obviously, these giant necessities can't be tossed into your recycling bin and many of us are perplexed as to how to dispose of them. We've all seen those houses where dirty old mattresses occupy the front lawn, and I'm pretty convinced that most would not want to resort to that method of disposal.

According to the Globe and Mail, (more...)

Last weekend, my boyfriend, Kipp, and I went out and adopted ourselves the cutest dog in the whole world (see photo below)! Things have been running quite smoothly with our four-month-old labrador/collie mix. She's housebroken, she can stay alone in the house for up to two hours at a time (without causing too much trouble - the odd chewed plant and a chewed up favourite slipper aside) and she's already our new best friend, madly wagging her tail whenever she sees one of us.

But, I do have one little complaint. Dear little Scout is getting in the way of our attempts (more...)

I recently head about Second Cup's new and first certified fair trade and organic Cuzco coffe. I'm already a big Second Cup fan, so I was happy to hear that they jumped on the organic and fair trade bandwagon. Their new brew is from Peru's Quillabamba region, which is just east of Machu Picchu and high up in the Andes.

The roast is quite flavourful, and it's a medium roast so if that's your style, it's very drinkable.

Next time you're grabbing a coffee on the go (with your reusable mug, of course) head to your local Second Cup to give this new brew a try. If you want to take it home, a fresh 1 lb. bag of Cuzco costs $17.50.

Some other brands that offer certified fair trade coffee are Kicking Horse Coffee, Ethical Bean Coffee and, one of my personal faves, Dark City Coffee Company.

What's your favourite coffee?

It's about time to start thinking about keeping warm this winter. I don't mean we should only think about what winter coat we're going to buy, what sort of hat we're going to knit and when to start buying hot chocolate in bulk. We also have to start thinking about protecting our home (and in turn, the Earth) from the harsh Canadian winter weather. Check out our web-exclusive article on the best ways to prepare your home for the winter.

Do you plan to winterize your home this year? How so?

So, you know how kids usually go around and help fundraise for their schools? They sell chocolate, coupon books and other things that no one really needs. It's a great concept, but pretty dated stuff. In an effort to spruce things up in the fundraising world, a group called Green Students Fundraising came up with an alternative. Green Students Fundraising provides schools, daycares and sports teams with eco-friendly fundraising programs that educate youth about environmental issues. What sets Green Students Fundraising apart from other student fundraising programs is that (more...)