Going green means something different to each of us. For some, it simply means recycling newspapers and food containers marked with the recycling triangle. For others, it means replacing the family car with a hybrid, walking or cycling instead of driving, using only organic skin and hair care products, eating organic, and/or replacing all household cleaning products with those that are free of chemicals that could harm both humans and the environment.
There are many little things you can do that help reduce carbon emissions, nurture your body and encourage the longevity of the world’s fragile ecosystems. Here are a few measures you can take today!
Reduce Home Energy Use
- Turn off lights when not necessary for vision or home security purposes.
- In colder weather, turn down the thermostat.
- If you don’t have double-glazed windows, consider installing them.
- Remember, in the average home, 40 percent of electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are on standby.
- Consider a new fridge. Those produced in 1993 and later consume up to 40 percent less energy than older fridges.
- Water use can be reduced 20 - 40 percent by installing low-flow faucets and shower heads.
- Don’t run your dishwasher unless full. Ditto for the washing machine.
- Repair leaky faucets as soon as possible. A dripping tap can waste several litres a day, as well as the energy needed to heat the water.
- Place a brick in the WC tank to reduce water use during flushing.
- Take a shower rather than a bath. A five-minute shower utilizes roughly half as much water as a bath.
Visit London Drugs (We're committed to going green)When you shop at London Drugs, you can be sure that our commitment to environmental well being is as strong as yours. Not only do we feature a wide range of products from suppliers whose philosophy is to support your health and that of the planet, we are also ensuring that our stores’ footprint is growing smaller. We view this as an ongoing commitment.
Our pharmacies are fast becoming green ambassadors, incorporating recycling programs wherever possible. We also help you recycle a number of items, including larger electronics, through our stores.
The following items may be returned to our stores for recycling:
- Cell phones and PDAs
- Glass and plastic bottles (BC only)
- Printer cartridges
- Metal film canisters
- Pop/beverage bottles (BC only)
- Rechargeable batteries
- Water coolers
- Aluminum or tin cans (BC only)
- Plastic bags
- Electronics and electrical items (including computers, TVs, hair dryers, curling irons, etc.*)
* Larger items purchased from London Drugs, such as computers and TVs, are recyclable free of charge. A small assessment may apply to all items purchased elsewhere (to cover our recycling fees).
Buy Locally Grown FoodsWhenever you buy food that has been locally grown or produced, you help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants resulting from the transportation of foodstuffs. Seeking out food that has been grown by local farmers helps support their efforts to bring you the freshest food possible and to better survive the economic issues resulting from today’s global marketplace. (Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries often spend one or two weeks in transit before delivery to your local supermarket.)
Make it a family challenge to source as many locally-produced food items as you can or devote one or two nights a week to eating meals prepared only with locally sourced ingredients.
Making one or more of your weekly meals vegetarian will not only support the planet, it may also help reduce your risk of cancers and heart disease.
Be a Green(er) CommuterThe average person spends 30 hours a week driving - and spends 27 hours a month earning the money to pay for the car, insurance, gasoline and other auto-related costs. It doesn’t make much sense, does it? Public transit and car pooling are great ways to reduce greenhouse emissions and, in the case of carpools, your personal travelling expenses too. Cycling or walking to work, when feasible, is even better and will help keep you fit and well.
If you are in the market for a new automobile, be sure to choose one that is fuel-efficient. Compact cars use half the fuel of SUVs. Hybrids, which are increasing in popularity as the price of gasoline increases, use both electricity and gas. These vehicles typically work by utilizing an electric, battery-powered motor whenever possible, on small trips for example. When more power is required, they switch to a gas engine. In a compact car, this dual system enables a combined fuel efficiency of a little over 4 litres of gas per 100 kilometres. (In comparison, gas-powered compacts typically utilize close to 7 litres per 100 kilometres.)
You can also reduce your carbon footprint when travelling by air. Some airlines now provide a calculation of your personal carbon footprint and allow you to purchase carbon credits to offset the impact of your trip.
Reduce Your Garbage OuputThe average North American produces close to four pounds of garbage every day! That’s 100,000 pounds or more over a lifetime. Most of the garbage - roughly 30 percent - consists of paper, followed by food scraps and garden waste at approximately 15 percent each. Plastic and metal account for another 10 percent each, followed by glass (8 percent), and wood and rubber (5 percent each). Everything else accounts for 2 percent.
So what can you do to reduce your personal garbage output? Here are a few pointers:
- Use paper towels sparingly or replace with cloths and sponges. Look for the recycling symbol on toilet paper and tissues such as Cascades* paper products. The manufacturing process for recycled paper products is less wasteful than making them afresh from trees. Old newspapers are perfect for cleaning windows.
- Use the back of used sheets of paper for writing reminders and shopping lists. Hardly anyone uses both sides of jotting pads, thereby using twice as much paper as necessary.
- Buy products that have little packaging. Use china or plastic plates instead of the disposable variety when picnicking or eating out-of-doors.
- Invest in a refillable coffee mug and cut down on the number of paper cups used for your daily latté.
- Buy refillable plastic bottles for your child’s lunchbox and cut down on disposable juice packs.
- If you haven’t already, start a composting bin. Add kitchen waste such as eggshells, vegetable peelings, bread and grain products, coffee grounds and tea bags to it.
- Recycle plastic shopping bags or use a fabric carrier when food shopping.
- Always recycle aluminum cans after use. Manufacturing a new can takes up 95 percent more energy than making a can from recycled aluminum.