Cosmetic Detox

Some things you can do right now

Here’s this month’s list of easy green living ideas. Send us your tip sheet (PDF) and you could win a copy of David Suzuki's

• Hold an at-home Green Spa. Treats are always better when there’s someone to share them. Invite your friends over, whip up batches of lotions and lip balms and try them out on each other. Your body and the earth will love you for it.

• Hang your laundry out to dry. The sun will come out, eventually, and when it does, let it shine on your wet duds.  Hang-drying helps clothes last longer, smell better (sunshine is a natural anti-bacterial AND kills dust mites) and saves the average household about $100/year in energy costs. In some communities it is illegal to hang your laundry out to dry! Project Laundry List is campaigning to change this.

• Check your cosmetic IQ - Arm yourself with information to help you lower your personal toxic load. Take this quiz to find out what you know, and what you can learn.

• Take a shower with David Suzuki. While you’re waiting for the shower or bath water to warm, throw a bucket or watering can under the stream, then use the water for plants, washing the floor, cleaning the garage, etc (suggested by reader Eileen Chris – "Everyone wants to shower with Dr. Suzuki!").  

• Bring your commuter mug along wherever you go – to the movies, concerts, whenever you travel. Ask theatre staff or flight attendants to fill up your mug. (Your newsletter editor, Gail,  was recently refused this service by an airline, who claimed "health regulations" stood in the way. A quick email to the company revealed no such limitation and provoked a promise from the airline to re-examine their policy. Small steps make a big difference!)

• Eat green fish. Whether you’re shopping for home or dining out, remember these three questions: What is this? Where does it come from? How was it harvested? This sustainable seafood guide will help you protect our ocean resources for now and the future.

• Change your margins, save some trees.  More words per page means fewer pages, so actress Tamara Krinsky is challenging Microsoft to change the default margin settings in Microsoft Word to .75 on all sides, from one inch. "If everyone did this, we'd save about 6 million trees a year," says Krinsky. You don’t have to wait for Microsoft to make this change – here’s how. (Tip sent in from neighbours Mary-Margaret McMahon and Jen Foster, Toronto Ontario.)

• Get one person you know to sign up for David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge. Lots of people are hearing about eco-awareness, and even want to participate, but they feel helpless and don’t know where to start, or feel they are the only ones trying to be green. Tell them about this community! (If there is someone you know who is in dire need of a green makeover, show them this movie explaining global warming. If they still think they aren’t part of the problem, show them this human-made mess in the ocean. Then make sure they understand that they can be part of the solution.