An old Native American Proverb cites "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children". If you have been trapped under a rock for the last few years, and haven't seen some of the horrible changes our earth has been sustaining - over the next few decades you will be forced to start noticing. Not to mention what our children and  grandchildren will have to deal with after we are gone.

I often think of this, and the fact that the decisions we make today will affect the planet of tomorrow. I have had the opportunity to speak to a number of classes and groups of students and I find that they are always very excited and interested in helping the environment. They have great ideas about changes they need to make, and are often the ones to encourage their parents to make changes.

I read a news article today with the heading Importance of the environment lost on kids. It sort of bothered me. Kids these days spend a lot of time in front of the computer or the television, and much less time outdoors enjoying nature. When I was a child, my siblings and I were always outside, playing in the yard, walking, and building forts in the woods across the street. We spent time on the beach - and still do - exploring our great environment. That being said, children and youth are much more astute than they once were. They use technology to research about the environment, and use Facebook, Twitter, blogging and other social medium to encourage peers to make a difference. Not only do they encourage people to make a difference, they are leading the charge themselves.  A local high school student here in town just recieved a national Toyota Earth Day Scholarship for his efforts to protect the environment, and in particular his work in the education on the value of the bur oak tree.

And he is only one example of exemplary youth in the area. One university student was trained by Al Gore to give his Inconvenient Truth presentation when she was only in high school, and has been to UN Climate Change meetings as part of the youth delegations. One girl started a recycling program at her high school and used the money from the returnables to purchase equipment for the local hospital. Students of all ages have Green Teams at their schools, and even elementary students have garbage pick-up clubs to keep their playgrounds clean and green. We hold an annual essay contest where students are encouraged to share their environmental hopes and dreams, and their writing and ideas are always very impressive.

So, while one headline about youth concern about the environment may be a little disconcerting, I have the utmost confidence that if we work hard to reduce our impact on the environment, and clean up our act and the earth the meantime, the planet will be in good hand with future generations!

Not So Sexy: Hidden Chemicals in Perfume and Cologne | Environmental Working Group

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....I did!!

In New Brunswick, Arbor Day is celebrated on the third Thursday in May. And here we are.

Trees offer a very important service, by extracting carbon from the air, and keeping it out of the atmosphere - a natural filter if you will.

Here in Fredericton, we are very lucky. We have over 68% forest cover, and over 85 kilometeres of trail, most through tree rich areas, on which to enjoy those trees.

Some other local tree facts:

• Parks & Trees plants over 450 trees each year

• There are 30,000 street right-of-way and ornamental park trees within City Limits

• Fredericton has 138 parkland locations, totalling 900+ hectares of green, treed space for public use.

• In Odell Park’s Arboretum, you will find examples of every native New Brunswick tree species

• Fredericton known as the City of Stately Elms, but the most prevalent tree species in the city is actually the Balsam Fir – New Brunswick’s Official Tree

We also have a local tree commission that is almost 50 years old, that has consistently been the voice for our trees. The Fredericton Tree Commission is a great organization that seeks to protect our trees, and cultivate strong, viable forests.

We are planting a tree this morning, in honour of the tree commission. A beautiful white elm. We are doing this to replace the species that was once diseased and cost us many trees.

Today, why don't you hug a tree. Literally. They deserve a little love!

I just got back from a wonderful weekend in PEI, and now that I have warmed up from the cold wind, I am ready to talk about it!

There are many reasons to love PEI, and my main one involves a red head, but other than that, the pace of life, quaint fishing villages, miles and miles of sandy beaches, beautiful scenary, and rich heritage also make my list. I had a lot of new experiences this weekend, and learned a lot about how the rich agriculture and aquaculture industries drive tourism in Canada's smallest province.

When you think of Prince Edward Island, what do you think of? Potatoes? Red mud? Anne of Green Gables? For me, I think of those things, but also of fishing and farming. I think of the delicious lobster that is fresh and in season right now, and the strawberries - which I have mentioned before - that will becoming soon as well. Beautiful fields, and massive expanses of water are the focal points of PEI, and should be valued and cherished, as much for the visitors, as they are for the men and women whose livlihood depends on them.

We stayed in a beautiful Bed and Breakfast on the weekend - the Barachois Inn - in Rustico. (By the way, it comes highly recommended!) We had a wonderful chat with the innkeeper, about the state of tourism in PEI, and how sustaining the link between agriculture, fishing and tourism are so important. It's so nice to go out to a restaurant on the Island, and have potatoes from a local grower's field, lobster from Bay Fortune, and carrots from a garden in Stanley Bridge. It's nice to be able to walk in the beautiful PEI National Park, or along the Dunes at Stanhope Beach, and know that nature is in tact, and the environment is staying pure.


Probably the coolest place we stumbled upon was the Great Canadian Soap Company. Nestled along the north shore, at Brackley Beach, the small farm was a real treat to visit. The goats scampered over from the barn to meet us, and we soon learned, they are an integral part of the soap operations.


So all in all, a great weekend. Lots of great sights and sounds, good food, and even better company! My adventures in PEI are certainly far from over, and I look forward to what exciting opportunies lie ahead!

If you want information about a great local vacation this summer, check out the tourism websites for the Atlantic Region - Tourism New Brunswick; Tourism Prince Edward Island; Nova Scotia. 

FLOW.

Doesn't the name just sound relaxing??

This editorial cartoon in the local newspaper today has finally encouraged me enough to post on this topic. Ever since the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico almost a month ago,it continues to grow into what could be even bigger than that of the Exxon Valdez in the 80's.

Knowing the risks that a spill could cause to ecosystems, it is amazing that we are still considering new offshore drilling opportunities.

We live in a world so dependent on oil, that we often cannot even see the potential for disaster it can cause. The BP oil leak is now infringing on delicate ecosystems in the Gulf, and is showing up on the shores on Louisiana, and other southern states. It is impacting fishermen, whose livelihood depends on the seafood that is now tainted by oil. This is now much more than an environmental issue, but an economic issue, and the forecast isn't pretty.

This mess could take years to clean up, and the effects will be felt long after that. The rig is leaking at an alarming rate - hundred of thousands of barrels a day - and efforts to stop the leak have so far been hampered.

I really don't know what else to say other than this saddens me, disturbs me, and makes me wonder why we are playing offshore roulette. We have enough environmental problems as it stands, that we cannot stand for too many more avoidable disasters such as this one. More efforts should be made to find more sustainble forms of energy and power, like wind and tidal power, solar, and other clean sources. Advances are being made, slowly but surely, and I do have some faith that technologies will continue to improve. It also makes me happy that President Obama has put a halt to all new offshore drilling, pending discussions into what went wrong in the Gulf.

I am certainly not an expert in ecosystems or oil drilling, but what I do know is that the roulette must stop, before something even more tragic happens.

BP spill costs $350 million -- so far

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I love my mom! She has done so much for me, and given me so much over the years, and I am truly grateful. She is the one, who encouraged me to read Slow Death by Rubber Duck and take stock of what proudcts I am using. She still knows how to look out for me, even though I am an adult! :-) Thanks mom!

My sister and I were spending Mother's Day with mom in Nova Scotia, and we decided to venture to the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, about a 30-minute drive from Amherst.

The winds were blowing at what felt like gale force, and it was a little chilly (evident from the photo), but what an amazing site to be seen.


The Joggins Fossil Cliffs are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and are the environment's encyclopedia into the Coal Age. The Fossil Cliffs website says:




I was amazed to find out that this rocky beach had once been a lush swamp, with tree, plant and mammal life. We all know what coal can do to the environment in this day and age, but I had no idea the affects it had hundreds of millions of years ago.



Because of the wind that day, were weren't able to get very close to the actually cliffs (for fear of falling rocks), but we saw some neat fossils on the beach, with prints, and tracks in them. I was also able to take a picture of some coal, that still remains on the beach today. You can see it in this photo, just to the left of my shadow. The Joggins Fossil Cliffs are actually the finest example, in the world, of the Pennsylvanian Coal Age in the Earth's History.

Today my friend came to town, and we took her beautiful 6 1/2 month old, Madi, to the Frekid Fair. (For those of you not familiar with this great event, check out the Fredkid website). We were on a mission to get Madi some cute new crocheted hats (which, by the way, was a great success), and check out the other information booths, and other activities. The place was packed with families of all shapes and sizes, and it was certainly the place to be in Fredericton today, if you had children!

For me - sans children - it was still a fun place to be, with the hustle and bustle of laughs, tears, scolding voices, and vendors selling their wares. I also made a couple of very exciting finds today, in some local women - fellow green girls - who are forging ahead with their entreprenurial spirits, and also keeping healthy kids and parents, and the environment in mind.

The first one, was a new twist, on a very old idea - cloth diapers! (one caveat....even before I have children of my own, I would like to think that I will take this approach to diapers, but I don't know ANYTHING about how it actually is - easy/hard/inconvenient or otherwise). I think cloth diapers are a great way to reduce waste - disposable diapers can sit in landfills for years and years - and man, are there some cute designs for baby bums these days! Little Tree Hugger (don't you just love the name?) is a Canadian company, two sisters actually, who are in the business of diapers.  They are home/web based and have a complete array of cloth diapers and accessories, as well as some other eco-friendly products. Check them out!

The second woman I talked to, was the owner of Lulujo Baby Products. She was fantastic, and shared my enthusiam for all things environmental. She had a neat variety of baby slings, cloths, recieving blankets, and pillows, all organic in nature. But, my favorite find of the day must have been her mom/baby bath and body products! I didn't fit into either of those categories, but I did leave with some awesome body butter, and a fabulous lip balm. And - the best thing - both had like five ingredients in them! Certainly fits right in with my quest for purity! I was stocked to find a local business that was operating with that same desire in mind! (I told the owner that I would give her a shout out, so, if you are reading - I LOVE MY NEW GOODIES!)

There were many other smart, eco-saavy women who were selling their wares at the Fair, and I would never have time to talk with them all! But, check out these other couple eco-options on the web. They are certainly worth the visit to the stores too. And local to Fredericton, you won't spend a tonne - of money or GHGs - getting there:

Room to Remember Kidz
Little Star
Monkey Bum Designs
Stylin' Mama, Baby and Tot

So, all in all, it was a fun trip to the Fair. And always great to have Lindsey and Madi pay a visit!

And, for a quick composting update: I went home after the fair and set up my new composter! Some chicken wire, black earth, and voila! Its ready to go! I am anxious to get started! Pictures to come soon.....

I am so excited! I am the proud new owner of an Earth Machine composter!

You think being as environmentally-conscious as I am, I would have had one by now! But, living in an apartment can pose some unique problems. Or so I thought. My landlord was more than accomodating, and even scoped out a good spot as a new home for my composter. They are goigng to lend a hand too, and add leaves and grass clippings to the recipe!

I don't generate a lot of waste on a regular basis, and recycle quite astutely, but I am hoping this next step, I will drastically reduce the amount of waste I send to the landfill. My hope is that I will be down to one kitched-sized bag every three weeks. The less the better!

I am looking forward to this new challenge, and I sure hope that I can master the art of composting. There is a Master Composter class given locally, so I might even check that out.

Wish me luck! I will keep you posted!

Follow David Suzuki's Queen of Green - and my - quest for healthier cosmetics!
Participate in the survey of toxic ingredients in cosmetics. You could win some great prizes!

We have all heard the old saying "You are what you eat"! In this case, I hope it's not true.

If, like me, you try your best to eat healthy, including non-processed foods, organic produce, and local items, I am sure you pay attention to what's in your food. But, did you know that most produce - local or otherwise - contain some form of pesticide. Purchasing organic is one way to beat this, but the EWG has a great tool to make this even easier.

Proudly supported by Dr. Andrew Weil - well known as a one time health and wellness guru on Oprah - the Environmental Working Group has coming out with their 2010 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. You can see the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15, and what items are best to be purchase organic.

Here in Fredericton, we are blessed to have a great weekly farmer's market! I so enjoy going and talking with the vendors, and purchasing some great produce, meats, and cheeses that are local. And, this is certainly sustainable - both environmentally and for the local econmy.

I am also looking foward to the summer, when I can visit my boyfriend's family on PEI, and feast on the best strawberries I have every had...grown right there in the field. They also have a great garden where they grow their own vegetables, and a plentiful greenhouse, all designed to eat off their land, which is the healthiest and more sustainable choice. I admire them for doing this, and cetainly appreciate when I can partake in the "fruits" of their labour of love.

And as we come into the summer season, local produce will be more readily available in this region. I urge you to try it out! I guarantee your health, and the environment, will thank you!

I feel compelled to write and tell all of you how AWESOME my new Olivier Pear infused Conditioner is. I am in love....and so is my hair!

After I got home from disposing of all of those chemical-ridden cosmetics, I began to seek new, more natural and healthy products. Let me tell you, this is far more difficult than just going to the store and buying something off of the shelf, or calling up your beauty consultant to order what you always have.

I painstakingly began to read every label, seeking out the the parabens, phthalates, SLS, and fragrance that is contained in almost everything I picked up. I checked the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database frequently, to find options that were carried in local retailers, that offered me the range of products to serve my needs. One of the negative things living in a smaller city is that we don't have access to a lot of the better known, organic and all natural products.

It wasn't until my mom - who along with my sister joined me in this life change - told me about a very local brand, that would meet all of the needs that I was looking for, wouldn't break the bank, and whose products fell into the 0-2 (of 10) category of Skin Deep. The magic solution you might ask: OLIVIER SOAPERY.

Made in Ste-Anne-de-Kent, New Brunswick, the soapery prides itself on using all-natural, pure ingredients - pure enough to eat! Mind you, I haven't tried that yet! The main ingredient is olive oil (Olivier actually means olive tree in french), and they use natural essenses, cacao butter, and other whole ingredients to make sensitive, safe and all-natural cosmetic solutions. (http://www.oliviersoaps.com/)

I went with the Vitamin E & Carrot Soap (use only at night), and Derma Creme. The Day Cream is also great!

I have ordered the Conditioner to try too, infused with pear essence! I am very excited to try it! The bar soaps are amazing and are so sensitive on the skin. It is so relieving to and great products - and local to boot!

It seems like a bizarre question, but I have been asking myself a lot of those types of questions lately. I have been reading a book by Rick Smith (from Environmental Defense in Canada) and Bruce Lourie called Slow Death by Rubber Duck. If you think it sounds morbid, it kind of is. Everyone should read it - and then take a hard look at the products that you use everyday.

You see, as women, we have a tendency to use cosmetic and body care products to make us look and feel better. Each day, unbeknowst to most, we put hundreds of chemicals on our bodies, that are extremely harmful to the environment, and our health.

Check out this website: http://www.toxicnation.ca/ to see some of the chemicals that we are exposed to every day.

So, why am I bringing this up? I had an Ah-Ha moment. And epiphany of sorts. I counted my beauty products. I used over a dozen before I even got to my coffee - shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, body wash, shaving cream, hair straightening gel, moisturizer, foundation, concealer, blush, eye shadow, mascara, hand cream, lipstick. Yah, and that's a normal day. Think about all of the extra stuff we use on 'special occasions'.

I used this website: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ to take stock of how bad my products really were. And mind you, I don't by cheap stuff either - I always thought that buy purchasing the best I could afford, then I would keep my skin healthy for a long time. Boy, was I wrong. And not only was I harming my body, I was flushing these products into the wastewater system!

Many of my products were ranked in the highly toxic categories - very scary! And of course, the better the smelling, the worse they were. Most contained some form of phthalates (pronounced thal-late), in the form of fragrance/parfum, sodium lauryl sulfates, urea, parabens, and triclosan. I couldn't believe that I was actually putting this stuff on my body.

So, I bagged up all of my harmful products (I kept a few that were on the low end of the scale to finish up), and carried them out to the solid waste commission's Household Hazardous Waste depot. Three big reuseable bags in total. The guys at the depot looked at me kind of funny, but as I was driving home, I felt so much better knowing that I had taken the first step to ridding my life of harmful toxins - at least those I could control.

And now onto the next step....finding new - more environmentally friendly - and healthy products!

So. This is it. I am blogging.