Readin', Recyclin', and 'Rithmetic

We ask the Frog some elementary eco-questions

Ah, September: the weather is cooler, the colleagues are back around the water cooler, and the kids are back in school. Even for those of us who don’t have children or have been out of school for years, the unavoidable school supply sales are a reminder of how September marks a time of new beginnings, growth, and learning.

So with this in mind, it’s a good time to review some basics about what we can do to make a difference in our home and office environments. Of course, studying is always a little easier when you’ve got a good teacher, so we’ve turned to Vancouver’s new green guru, the ever-so-helpful website happyfrog.ca.

As introduced in the last issue of SharedVISION, happyfrog.ca is an online community where readers find and review local businesses and services, learn about upcoming events, and “Ask the Frog” (other readers) for advice on everything from ethical investments and renewable energy to massage therapists and organic restaurants.

While the website is still in its tadpole stage, we were impressed by the kind of answers we got by dipping into the collective knowledge pool. Certainly, the Frog was able to provide answers to some of our most elementary green questions. Got a better answer, or a burning question? Visit happyfrog.ca.

Q. I dread the moment that comes in almost every checkout line: “paper or plastic?” Which is really better for the environment?

A. Neither.
The solution is to bring your own reusable cloth shopping bag (or knapsack, or pannier). Forgot to bring your own? Then buy another cloth bag or quit shopping for the day.

The environmental cost difference between plastic and paper bags is insignificant. The production of plastic bags generates less water pollution, less air pollution, and less solid waste. Plastic bags burn better in solid waste incinerators, and take up less space in landfills.

The production of paper bags uses more material—albeit renewable—and generates more pollution. But paper bags biodegrade much more quickly, both in a landfill and alongside the road. Also, paper bags are accepted by more local recycling programs.

Q. Which is more efficient: washing dishes in a dishwasher, or washing them by hand?

A. A study at the University of Bonn in Germany found that the dishwasher uses only half the energy and one-sixth of the water of hand washing.

Even the most sparing and careful washers could not beat the modern dishwasher. The study also rated the cleanliness achieved, again in favour of the washing machine. There have been studies before, but this is one of the few that pits man against machine.

Q. Should I leave the light on? I heard that it takes more energy to restart a fluorescent bulb than to just leave it on.

A. No. Turn the lights out whenever you are the last person to leave a room—even fluorescent lights—unless you are returning within a moment or two. It takes no significant amount of additional energy to start a bulb.

Q. What materials can I leave at curbside for recycling? What’s not allowed?

A. Vancouver’s Blue Box Recycling Program enables residents of single-family, duplex, and some smaller multi-family dwellings to recycle materials such as newsprint, paper, and cardboard, as well as metal, glass, and plastic containers.

Each residence is supplied with a blue box (for metal, glass, and plastic containers), a reusable yellow bag (for paper products), and a reusable blue bag (for newsprint). Residents sort their recyclable materials into the appropriate bag or box and on collection day set them out for pickup.

Here’s a list of what materials can go in which container:
• Blue Box: Plastic bottles and jugs (types 1, 2, 4 & 5), glass bottles and jars, metal cans, aluminum foil, and foil containers.
• Yellow Bag: Magazines, office paper, small pieces of cardboard, and phone books.
• Blue Bag: Newspapers, newspaper inserts, and TV guides.

Note that the one plastic that cannot be in-cluded in curbside recycling is #3, also known as polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. Polyvinyl chloride creates dioxins during manufacture, during the useful lifetime of the product, and upon disposal. Dioxin is a carcinogen that settles in fatty tissues. It disrupts hormonal systems and may cause reproductive- and immune-system damage. If possible, avoid buying products or packaging made of PVC (or #3) plastic.

Q. I keep reading about green building, sustainable building, LEED standards, and the like. What do all these terms really mean, and where can I learn more about what I can do to make my home more environmentally friendly?

A. Throughout their life cycle, buildings consume massive amounts of natural resources and make a significant impact on the environment. Green buildings represent the latest technologies and best practices of high performance, healthy, and low-impact development.

The relationship between buildings and the environment is significant and only now becoming properly understood. In Greater Vancouver buildings account for 40 per cent of the municipal solid waste destined for our landfills, and 35 per cent of our CO2 emissions.

Traditional building development is driven almost exclusively by first-cost economics that do not factor in long-term environmental, social, and occupant impacts. The net result is accelerated ecosystem degradation, both at the site and in remote places where energy is generated and where raw materials are extracted. It doesn’t end once the building is built—today, occupants are exposed to increasing levels of toxins, lack of daylight, and poor indoor air quality.

The Light House Sustainable Building Centre (sustainablebuildingcentre.com) on Granville Island is one place to begin learning more about green building. Light House is a non-profit society dedicated to sustainable building.

Guests are invited to relax in a comfortable modern environment, explore and discuss the latest eco-friendly or “green” resources, and find the solutions they need to make their buildings, houses, communities, and lives more sustainable. Workshops such as Green Building 101 help homeowners make their first foray into the world of green home improvement. Guest experts are in residence every Saturday 2–4 pm to answer questions on all aspects of green building. (Check the online calendar for details.)

Q. I’ve calculated my household greenhouse gas emissions, and begun to reduce or offset my personal carbon use. But my gut sense is that I am responsible for far more carbon use during my workday than during my personal time. What can I say to get my employer interested in carbon reduction?

A. Every day a company waits to take advantage of energy efficiency and clean power technology options, money is lost. Whether a company manufactures goods or provides services, there is a straightforward process for developing a carbon reduction strategy. By learning about what competing companies are doing, your employer can start capturing the benefits with low risk and fast payback.

Cool Companies (cool-companies.org/homepage.cfm) is a good place to start. This “how-to” guide outlines strategic opportunities to reduce energy use, save money, and clean up the environment for commercial buildings and industrial plants, and covers options such as lighting, heating and cooling, cogeneration, green power, motors, fans and steam processes, and more.

You can also check out the Green Workplace Program (eya.ca/gwp). This local initiative, a partnership between the Environmental Youth Alliance and Sustainable Community Enterprises, offers green business consulting and corporate training services. The program will analyze your company’s use of paper, lighting, transportation, and water, as well as its waste and corporate social responsibility, and make recommendations on how to improve.

Ask the frog, be the frog. Get hopping at happyfrog.ca.