BlogHers ACT Canada

Toxic

posted by: Sandra

It is time to kick it up a notch and dive into some toxic blogging here at BHA Canada. Despite the fact that a day can't go by without Britney news, rest assured it isn't that kind of toxic.

Today we get started with our national BlogHers Act Canada focus to reduce/eliminate toxic chemicals in food and retail products. There is so much to say about this issue. So much. We will spend the next year sharing research, generating awareness, taking concrete action, and raising funds to make an impact.

Admittedly, it feels daunting. But we'll break it down and collaboratively rock it.

As a starting point, let's do some reading. The David Suzuki Foundation just released a report this week titled: ""Perscription for a Healthy Canada". This is what their website has to say about it:

"Prescription for a Healthy Canada calls on the federal government, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, to adopt a national environmental health strategy for Canada.

Each year, millions of Canadians become ill or disabled after being exposed to environmental contaminants linked to asthma, gastrointestinal illness, poisonings, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, developmental disorders, birth defects, and reproductive problems.

Unlike the U.S., Australia, and the European Union, Canada lacks both a national program to monitor children’s exposures to environmental contaminants, and a national system to track diseases and deaths caused by environmental contaminants.

The recommendations in Prescription for a Healthy Canada for reducing air pollution, protecting water quality, improving food safety, addressing threats posed by consumer products, and banning the most hazardous substances currently being used will put Canada in step with world leaders in environmental health."

Take a read. It is a great first document to guide our year ahead.

Another Canadian organization is also doing some serious work in the area of toxics. Environmental Defense has an important initiative called Toxic Nation. They are sharing research, lobbying government and even blogging (check out this great post on "Back to school without the Toxics").

One of the projects they have underway right now that bloggers and blog readers can get behind, is the petition to ban Bisphenol A. Bisphenol A is a toxic hormone disrupter that can be found in products like food cans, plastic water bottles and even baby bottles. You can read more in their Bisphenol A Fact Sheet. Even low doses can harm our health and especially the health of infants.

They have a goal of 5000 signatures for their petition. At the time of writing this post they had gathered only 1764. We want to help them reach 5000 and be heard loud and clear. So what can we do? Well, to start off with, we can sign the petition today. And then we can blog it. Tell all of your readers about Bisphenol A and direct them to the Toxic Nation petition. It is an action that only takes a minute so anyone can do it.

And let's brainstorm some ways to taking it further. Could we send an email to our contacts inviting them to sign the petition? Could we join the "Ban Bisphenol A" Facebook group and encourage our friends to do the same? Could we make small fliers and put them up around the community urging people to go online and sign their name in support? Could we start a letter writing campaign to some major corporate offenders? What other actions or ideas do you suggest?

Read, sign, brainstorm, spread the word. It is a start. A very good start.

--------------------------------

And in other news .... BlogHers Act Canada is getting multi-media coverage!

Check out some internet TV video-blogging coverage of our launch of the initiative in Chicago at LiveBait.TV.

And tune in to a special Green Podcast at BlogTalk Radio on Wednesday, September 26th (9-10pm EST), brought to you by the lovely and talented Kristen from Motherhood Uncensored. HBM and I will be two of the guests participating in the discussion. Call in, send questions and listen live on September 26th!

Unwrapped

posted by: Sandra

BlogHers Act Canada recently kicked off our 12-months of personal eco-actions with a challenge to reduce packaging in our lives.

The blogosphere unwrapped itself with some fantasitc tree-hugging ideas (and even a haiku) on packaging issues. Sometimes trying to live greener can feel overwhelming - check out these posts for some inspiration...

Metro Mama: "BlogHer's Act: September Challenge"
Cheeze Whiz and Mustard: "Cutbacks aren't always a bad thing!"
The Mouse's Nest: "Global Warming Wednesday: Haiku for back-to-school"
Assertagirl: "BlogHers Act Canada: Reduce packaging this September."
Three and Holding: "Toying with the Notion of Reduced Packaging"
Postcards from the Mothership: "Facing the ugly eco-truth"
daysgoby: "quit ruining my eco-trip"
a peek inside the fish bowl: "Ecoposting"
Unfinished Thoughts: "The little things ..."
Tales of life with a girl on the go: "Back to school, with less packaging"
Her Bad Mother: "Kicking The Juice Box Habit"
Urban Mummy: "BlogHer's Act: September Challenge (a bit late)"
Under the Mad Hat: "Little Green"
Life of 'Pie: "Boos and Yahoos"

If you have posted and we missed it, do send a link and we'll be glad to update the list.

My sister-in-law recently declared my dear brother a Drew Carey look-alike (why have I never noticed this before?!). So I figure that practically makes me a game show host. No? Well, I still get to give away prizes. Cool, eco-friendly, package-reducing prizes! The team at BlogHers Act Canada randomly pulled, from the proverbial hat, 2 eco-challenge posts written this month. The lucky winners are: Cheeze Whiz and Mustard who is now the owner of an 18oz Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel reusable bottle. And Unfinished Thoughts who wins a Basura, 100% lead-free lunch bag made from recycled juice boxes.

But the challenge doesn't end there folks. September is not over after all. If you haven't already, leave us a comment with how many coffee cups and plastic water bottles you think your family and friends can save this month by switching to reusable alternatives? We'd love to quantify our progress!

And, while you're clicking through green links, there are some others, we'd love to point you to ...

One of our commenters had an excellllent suggestion for everyone to check out the Big Green Purse which has some great suggesions on how you can further use your wallet (or purse) to make a difference in packaging reduction and other green issues.

We also are encouraging the blogosphere to join us in the David Suzuki Foundation's Nature Challenge. Many of our 12 eco-actions are a part of this amazing initiative that hundreds of thousands of Canadians have already signed up for. You might want to put a link on your blog to sign-up even more.

And come on back later this week when we kick off our "eliminate toxic chemicals" blogging!

September Challenge: Back to School/Work/Daycare With Less Packaging

Edited To Add:

It's not too late to write your take on how to reduce packaging in our lives! We've extended our deadline for posts to Sunday, September 16th. And don't forget to send us your link to be entered to win one of our groovy prizes .....

---------

posted by: Sandra

It's been far too many years since my calendar has started in September. Yet somehow, programming from all those days as a student, makes this time of year feel as ripe for resolutions as New Year's Eve.

Today is the first day after the last long weekend of the summer and all the kiddies are heading back into the classroom. Whether you are going back to school, work or daycare, today is about new beginnings and getting into a routine.

But routines don't always have to be boring. In fact, what better time to start BlogHers Act Canada's 12-months of personal eco-challenges. Each month we'll embrace a different eco-issue we can make changes in our own lives to help the environment. And for September, on this first day of back to school/work/daycare, we are challenging ourselves to do it with less packaging.

About 10% of every one of your shopping dollars is used to pay for packaging of the products you buy. And it's reported that approximately 30% of municipal waste comes from packaging. Thirty percent. I cringe every time I look in my shopping cart that is filled with more packaging than the goods they encase. Packaging that ends up in my recycling bin as soon as I get home.

So what can we do about it?

Firstly, in the spirit of the BlogHers Act Canada initiative, we can spread the word. Blog it. Blog it. Blog. It.

We invite all Canadian bloggers and FOC-ers (Friends of Canadians) to participate in writing a post about how you plan to reduce packaging. Write whatever part of this issue is most important to you. Share your own tips and clever ideas. Rant about how hard it is to use less disposable items. Review a great product. Do an expose on companies with particularly excessive packaging. Write a Haiku.

With enough of us blogging it and engaging our readership, we can get more people thinking and acting on tangibly reducing the amount of packaging that ends up in our landfill.

Write your post by Wednesday, September 12th and leave us a link and we'll share a round up of all the blog coverage on this issue.

AND if saving the world from the evil perils of excess packaging weren't incentive enough, there will be prizes! All bloggers who write about this issue will be entered in a draw for one of two awesome-tastic, packaging-conscious prizes:

You could win an 18oz Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Reusable bottle. It fits in most lunch boxes and bags and is toxin free.

Orrrr...

One lucky blogger's prize will be a Basura insulated, 100% lead-free, reusable lunch bag. Each bag is one-of a kind and is made from recycled juice packs by a women's co-op in the Philippines.

But this challenge isn't just about blogging.

We are also gonna walk the talk and all really commit to do something.

To get the ball rolling, we've compiled an initial list of eco-licious ideas on how you can reduce your packaging:

~ Stop drinking water from plastic water bottles and fill up reusable containers instead. We use billions of plastic water bottles each day and most still end up in landfills.

~ Stop buying other single-serve, disposable beverages too like canned pop or juice boxes. Buy the larger containers and pour into reusable bottles to bring along for lunch.

~ Save the world one Java at time. Instead of disposable coffee cups from your local barista, bring your own coffee mug or thermos and fill 'er up.

~ Buy groceries in bulk. Consider "family sized" items that use less packaging or go to the bulk food bins - you'll save money too!

~ Order less Take-out. Pack your lunch or eat in to reduce the amount of take-out disposable packaging. Or, if you do have to eat out - skip the drink lid and straw.

Our eating habits aren't the only place we can make a difference. Here are some other shopping tips for the back-to-school time of year:

~ Look for refillable pens.
~ Use rechargeable batteries.
~ Buy school/office supplies in bulk.
~ Hit thrift stores and yard sales to reuse and repurpose items like funky retro fashions and decor for your college dorm room.

What other ways can we each reduce our consumption of unnecessary packaging? Share your thoughts and ideas between now and September 12th.

And here's the best part of the September challenge ... let's keep count.

We'll start with the disposable drink containers and ask that we all keep track/estimate the impact of our personal changes this month...
~ How many disposable plastic water bottles would you and your family have used?
~ How many disposable coffee cups do you save by bringing your own?
~ How many cans of pop do you save buy buying larger sizes or switching beverage choices?

We want to know. Keep track and share your progress. Every single one counts. At the end of the month, we'll share a grand tally of how many bottles and cups and cans we saved together. This should be fun!

Just one person drinking from a few less plastic bottles of water might not save the world on their own. But if we all do it ... now that's starting something!

And if a mantra to use less packaging gives you another reason to go for the jumbo size bottle of vino the next time you are at the liquor store, well then we say ... cheers to going green!