Dear Santa: Save some of those cookies for me!

Have you started thinking about Christmas yet? It seems as soon as Halloween is over, the upcoming festive season is on everyone's mind. I have no doubt pretty little lights will soon be hanging from neighbourhood trees and shortly after, Christmas trees will be popping up in people's front windows (not that I look in other people's windows, I swear!).

No matter how early the rest of the world jumps on the holiday bandwagon, I can never seem to get organized early enough. Sure, I make plans in my head, but I usually don't put them into action until December 23. However, one thing I do get excited about is planning how to greenify my Christmas.

This year I'm going to buy a small coniferous tree, plant it in a pot and keep it inside for a couple of weeks over the holidays. When Christmas is over, I'll move it back outside and care for it. I'm hoping this way I'll be able to use it as a Christmas tree for a few years to come.

If you're more into buying a fresh Christmas tree every year, try to find a locally grown one and, before purchase, inquire if it's been grown in a sustainable manner.

Have a greener Christmas!

If you're stumped for ways to go green this holiday season, you should check out A Greener Christmas. It's a great book that will give you ideas on how you can make your Christmas more eco-friendly: From recycled decorations to making your own cards and hand-crafted gift ideas. Now for the good news? I have on copy of A Greener Christmas to give away to one luck reader. Just subscribe to my blog and leave a reply here sharing your tips and tricks for a greener holiday season! I'll announce the winner on Monday, November 23.

Raincoast Trading canned fish: Sustainable fish is good for you and the environment!

I recently heard about Raincoast Trading, a company that has been selling premium wild seafood products since 1978. The company supports sustainable fishing practices to ensure healthy fish stocks for future generations, and they harvest only wild caught seafood. Plus, their canned fish is single-cooked to preserve its natural oils, nutrition and rich flavour and they don’t add water or oil to the fish during the canning process. Raincoast is also endorsed by Ocean Wise,  a program created by the Vancouver Acquarium that works closely with restaurants, markets and seafood products to help ensure the seafood they use is harvested in a sustainable manner, keeping ocean life rich and healthy.

Raincoast Trading products (canned and frozen fish) are sold a Loblaws, Whole Food, IGA and or organic grocers, and prices range for $2.99 - $11.50.

Read more about making sustainable seafood choices here!

Want even better news? I'm giving away three Raincoast Trading gift packs, which all contain three cans of premium, sustainable fish: Albacore Tuna, Pink Salmon and Sockeye Salmon.

All you have to do is SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG and leave a reply here, telling me what your favourite seafood dish is and you could be a winner! I'll announce three randomly selected winners here on Thursday, November 20.

And, don't forget to enter my book giveaway, I'm announcing the winner tomorrow!

I always find that it's a bit harder to buy local foods during our colder months. There's something about the lack of berries, peaches and tender lettuce that just gets me down about grocery shopping. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love my sweet potatoes and apples just as much as the next gal, but I think spring and summer bounty is my absolute fave.

Luckily I came across WWF's Canada's Sustainable Food Buying Guide. The Guide has a handy list of what's available in specific provinces in different seasons. It also has some information about sustainable food, food-buying tips and yummy menu ideas. You can download your free copy here!

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organic Living

Also, I have great news. I'm giving away one copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organic Living, written by Eliza Sarasohn and Sonia Weiss. This is a guide that provides step-by-step solutions for going organic in most aspects of your day-to-day life. It's useful for anyone wanting to make sustainable changes to their lifestyle.

All you have to do is subscribe to my blog and leave a comment here telling me what your favourite fall and winter dish is (showcasing local bounty, of course)!

I'll announce a winner here on Friday, November 6.

Do you think this kitchen actually gets any use?

When I asked you all last week what part of your house you would green, many of you mentioned your kitchens. Well, I have good news: greening doesn't always mean spending lots of money. There are lots of little things we can do in our kitchens to help reduce our ecological footprint.

• What are you cooking with? Make sure your staple fry or sauce pans are made of stainless steel or cast iron. These options are free of toxins.

• Say no to plastic baggies and wrap. Though little resealable bags are darned convenient, they cause unnecessary waste. You can find glass and BPA-free plastic alternatives to house odds, ends,  snacks and lunches!

• Close the door. Your oven door, that is. Taking a look at your apple pie before it's finished will allow lots of heat to escape from that oven, which will then have to work extra hard to climb back up to the appropriate temperature (I get scolded for this one all the time ... but it's really hard not to peek!).

• Go ahead and put the kettle on, just don't fill it up all the way. If you're only having one cuppa, put the required amount of water in the kettle. If you fill it all the way up, you're wasting more energy getting water that you're not even using to a boil.

For all of you who dream of a nicer, cleaner and greener kitchen, I have great news. You can enter Canadian Living's Ugliest Kitchen contest for your chance to win a $25,000 kitchen makeover from The Home Depot. All you have to do is submit a photo or video of your kitchen here. Find more information on the Ugly Kitchen Contest here!

I hope you all had a nice weekend!

I'd like to congratulate ... (more...)

What local delectable will you be cooking up this weekend?

Well, it's here. There's no denying that summer is totally gone, and fall has reared its chilly, yet spectacularly colourful, head. I forgot about all the delicious bounty that's available this time of year. Apples, squash, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, kale, cranberries, cabbage, carrots ... you catch my drift.

Tonight, I'll be knee deep in the apples I picked last weekend. I'll bake my mother's apple pie (I watched her cook pies for years, and it's amazing what one remembers) and Canadian Living's Apple Cardamom Cake. Then I'll be heading up to the cottage - pie in tow - with my family, and who knows what yummy treats will be served!

What special treat, made with your local ingredients, will you be cooking up this Thanksgiving?

If you need any tips, head to our everything Thanksgiving page for great ideas.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Are you almost green?

James Glave, author of Almost Green, would build a green writing shed. In fact, he did build one in the front yard of his home in B.C. In his book, Glave writes about the trials and tribulations (and constant scorn from his father-in-law) he faces while on his mission. Along the way, Glave makes many other environmental changes.

If you could green one part of your home, what would it be and why?

Just subscribe to my blog and post a reply here for your chance to win one of four copies of Almost Green. I'll randomly select a winner on Monday, October 19.

Good luck!

Congratulations to ... (more...)

How often do you put your car in park?

Yesterday was World Car Free Day, and I hope you joined folks all over the world in leaving your car at home and put on your walking shoes, getting on your bikes or riding your local transit system.

I think World Car Free Day is a great way to reflect upon the harm cars can do to our environment, the state of our public transit systems and the way our cities have developed. But as responsible citizens, we should do better that once a year.

Have you contemplated leaving your car at home often? Say, once a week, or once every two weeks? Do any of you take part in a car-sharing program?

Cars produce over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year (not to mention the amount of mining that goes into manufacturing cars and harmful petroleum extraction), so imagine the difference if we all dramatically changed our driving habits. Cycling and using public transit are great ways to explore a city, and think of how much less frustrated you'll be because you don't have to sit in traffic.

How have your driving habits changed?

I realize some of you might live in rural communities, where you have to be much more dependent on cars, but have you been able to make any changes?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway and you could be one of two winners. I'll announce the winners on Friday!

Sure, sometimes we all find bees to be pesky little insects that buzz around our sweet peach pie, but truth be told, we'd be nowhere with the curious, little bee. Apparently Albert Einstein said that if bees disappeared, "man would only have four years of life left". After all, these little pollinators are pretty much the reason our food grows.

In recent years, I've been watching the media closely, following stories about Colony Collapse Disorder and learning all I can about bees. I must say, I'm surprised and enthralled by these tiny workhorses.

Did you know that the lifespan of a bee is barely five weeks?

When I came across Candace Savage's book: Bees: Nature's Little Wonders, I was pleasantly surprised. Her book offers wonderful insight into the world of these industrious creatures. The book itself is beautiful, with pretty images and odds and ends of poetry and myths.

For a chance to win one of two copies of Bees, leave a comment here telling me how you feel about bees. Do you love them? Hate them? Has all the press on Colony Collapse Disorder made you think twice about them?

I'll pick a winner randomly on Friday, September 25. Don't forget, you must be a subscriber to win.