Posts Tagged ‘water’

I thought I was getting off easy this winter – it's been the mildest one I ever remember. But no. Here we are, almost the middle of February and I’m feeling a little blah. Don’t worry, I'm on it. And hopefully it’s a little inspiration for you, too!

1 Hydration, highly underrated
Your body is about 60 per cent water and every cell needs water, so it’s important to drink. But sometimes plain water gets boring. So spice it up: Add chunks of frozen fruit, it will lend a fruity taste, and you get a nice treat at the end. Add a flavour extract like vanilla or anise. Get citrusy with lime, lemon or orange slices. Freeze fruit juice and add a few cubes to a cupful. It makes a big difference.

2 Read a child a book
I know we all carry the Internet in our pockets now. But, still, there’s nothing like reading a child a story. One that's inspiring me this month is Cross Katie Kross by Donna Morrissey, illustrated by Bridgette Morrissey, her daughter. How cute is that? Katie Kross hates just about everything, so she decides to leave her home in search of Love Valley, a place where she an get away from tedious chores. No kids? That’s ok, borrow one while you read them this magical tale.

3 Put food on somebody’s table
Food Banks Canada launched a new campaign recently aimed at raising awareness of hunger in Canada, and specifically the root causes of the issue. Millions of Canadians struggle to get enough food to eat and many of them are turning to food banks for assistance. The goal is to educate the public around this issue and ask all Canadians to take a pledge to Say No to Hunger.

4 Million Dollar Neighbourhood – my new favourite TV show
It's so fun – and inspiring! It’s set in Adergrove, B.C. and 100 families have 10 weeks to raise their collective worth by a million dollars. I love it because it shows people working together to step out of their comfort zones to tackle debt, massive credit card bills and out-of-control spending. Every week the families dig deep, downsize, barter, scrimp and save to increase their net worth by $1,000. Sunday's episode is all about eating inexpensively at home – then they have to earn money by staging a five-star Wine & Dine with celebrity chef Anthony Sedlak.

5 And my #1 way to beat the blahs? Plan a trip
There’s nothing like getting away and, for me, most of the fun is in the anticipation. I’m not crazy about the planning though, I get overwhelmed. So, this year, I'm hoping to go to Italy, and I plan to book the trip with Trafalgar Tours. It appeals to me because there are only three places you visit: Rome, Florence and Venice, so it's not the crazy rush of visit-a-city-a-day tours. It’s a more relaxed pace, but they sweat the small stuff – so I don't have to!

How about you? How do you beat the winter blahs?

I hope you're all taking some time this week to consider how you use water, how you can conserve more of it and those less fortunate than us who don't have clean water to drink. A read a UNESCO press release that states that over 2.5 billion people do not have access to clean water. What a staggering number! That's certainly something to think about.

TVO is airing a wonderful looking documentary tonight (Wednesday) at 10 p.m. called Water on the Table.  It's about Maude Barlow, who is known as a water warrior, and her struggle to get water declared as a human right. If you don't get TVO, check out the documentary's website for more information on screenings in your area.

These tap water bottles are stylish and clever.

A perfect gift for the avid entertainer - or that special someone who you want to gently remind that drinking tap water is the best choice.

These stylish tap water bottles are made of glass, making them 100 per cent recyclable. However, you won't have to worry about recycling these bottles because you'll be able to reuse them forever.

The bottles are available in two different sizes - 250 mL ($10) and 500 mL ($12) – that are easy to carry around with you too. But, being made of glass, they're of course breakable, so if you're the active type you might want to leave them at home. I think one of these bottles will look best on the dining table when hosting a group of friends for dinner.

You can order the bottles online at tapwater-bottle.com (bottles can be shipped across North America).

Water wisely this summer!

Summer's upon us now, and with the much-anticipated heat we have to keep a close eye on things in our garden to ensure everything is properly hydrated. Dry soil and tomatoes just don't go hand in hand! However, our responsibility doesn't stop at caring for our lawns and gardens. Us Canadians are the second highest users of water in the entire world. That made you gasp, right? Well, here's another factoid: In the summer, our water usage increases by 50 per cent! Not even the greenest of us can go without watering our gardens, but it's of utmost importance that we do what we can to curb our usage.

Here are some quick tips to help you use less water in the garden:

• Always water your lawn, garden and plants in the early morning or evening. Don't wait until mid-day to give everything a good drink - the sun is high in the sky at this point, and your plants will dry up quickly.

• Consider investing in a rain barrel. It will collect water from rain falls and you'll have an endless supply of H2O for all your watering-purposes!

• Plant flowers and plants that require a lot of water close together, so when it's time to water you just have to douse a specific part of the garden, as opposed to the whole thing. Also, try to plant these thirsty fellow below little slopes in your garden, as they'll be happy for the run-off.

• Add some compost or mulch to your garden as it helps the soil retain water. Compost also gives your plants an endless supply of nutrients, so they'll grow big and strong!

• Add an array of native plants to your garden as they already suit our climate!

Do you have any advice for using less water in the garden this summer? Share you watering advice here!

Has any Toronto resident or visitor noticed these somewhat new City of Toronto ad campaigns? These posters are seen all over the city. I've noticed them on bus shelters, while riding the subway and in many printed publications. Looks like the city is trying to get us to think about how we consume water.

The ad on the left is of a family in their kitchen. They are all dressed in lab coasts and are drinking tap water. The caption reads: "It's what a scientist would drink. Toronto tapwater. It travels trough five layers of filtering and treatment before it arrives in you glass. And is continuously tested for quality. Trust science; not fashion. Choose tapwater. Filtered fresh."

The one on the right is of a woman who appears to be (more...)