For
many of us, the environment is at the top of our priority list when it comes to
lifestyle. And businesses are catching on: people are more in tune with green
ideas, and businesses are using incentives such as being carbon neutral as a
way to attract customers. Recently, three green initiatives have been getting
media attention in Canada, which are not only innovative, but in some cases,
have the possibility of changing our culture entirely.
The
first idea was presented on Dragon’s Den, and is called Event Water Solutions (http://www.eventwatersolutions.com/). This group from Orillia,
Ontario has devised an ingenious way to reduce waste from water bottles at
events. Essentially, they bring in a large sink system with several taps that
hook into a local water supply. To avoid cross contamination, the Event Water staff
fills the bottles for event-goers. If clients don’t have a water bottle, they
can purchase one from Event Water. As a customer, this is a great way to save
money, especially considering that bottled water is more expensive per litre
than gasoline (think about that next time you leave your home without your own
water bottle!). When questioned by the dragons as to why companies would want
to implement something that reduces their profit margin, the team responded by
saying, “We’re getting calls everyday”. It may be idealistic, but this could
represent a real shift in cultural thinking: it is better to reduce landfill
rather than making a quick buck. This is long term thinking rather than short
term gain.
Next,
we have Unplugged Small Appliance Recycling Program (http://www.unpluggedrecycling.ca/) in British Columbia. According
to the Unplugged website, in BC alone over 2 million small appliances end up in
landfills every year; this means potentially hazardous materials going
in to our environment. This recycling program, which has over 100 depots in
British Columbia, is the first of its kind in Canada. They will recycle broken
or used appliances, from toasters to electric toothbrushes to microwaves.
Despite the small fee to cover the costs of staffing and recycling, it is well
worth the positive effects on the environment. Visit their website for more
information on how recycling reduces waste and energy costs in BC, and where
you can recycle your small appliances.
Finally,
a green scheme worth considering for long term urban development in Canada is
the housing innovation of recycled shipping containers. A recent article on the
Yahoo Canada home page describes a single mom in California who built a home
out of a shipping container for $4000. She did the renovating herself; cutting
out spaces for windows and doors, then adding insulation to both the walls and
the floor. This woman, who has gone back to school, chose to live mortgage-free
and spend more time with her daughter, while helping the environment by using
recycled materials for both the central home and an extension to the space (http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/living-small--lulu-s-shipping-container-home.html). Although it is unclear how
much the land cost to build it on, Lulu has picked up on a revolutionary idea
that is getting more and more media attention.
Yet,
shipping container living has been around for several years now. In 2006, the
History Channel ran a story about “Container City” located in the docklands of
London, England.. Here, people can rent out 300
sq. ft. (the size of one container) of live-work space for $80-140 per month. It’s
a cozy, but affordable space for people on a budget, especially here in
Vancouver where renting 500 sq. ft. can cost upwards of $1500 per month. Built
with 100% recycled materials, this Container City is a prime example of how to
improve living conditions while being environmentally conscious.
In
Canada, we have our very own container architect, Keith Dewey, who is the owner
and designer of Zigloo.ca (zigloo.ca).
At approximately $150-250 per sq. ft. to build (compared to paying $600+ per
sq. ft. in Vancouver), these Zigloo homes are affordable, compact, and modern,
and are making use of materials “destined for the scrap yard” as Dewey states
in the Vancouver Sun (http://zigloo.ca/vancouver-sun-zigloo-article/). Dewey indeed lives in his very
own container home on Vancouver Island, which cost a total of $360, 000. A Zigloo
has also been designed for a residence in Squamish, titled the “Squamish
Cargospace Living Project” (http://zigloo.ca/squamish-cargospace-living-project/).
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| Squamish Cargospace Living Project |
This home boasts the following
green attributes: geothermal heating, wind power and a water recapturing
system. It is unique, yet modern, and is reminiscent of Cam Frye’s super posh
80s home in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Other designs include enviro-friendly items like a green roof. Affordable
housing has been on the political table for years in cities all across Canada,
so my question to politicians and urban planners is what are you waiting for?
Our
country and its people are doing impressive things to help the environment, and
these three ideas only have room to grow. You don’t have to live in a Zigloo to
be green-friendly, but consider other ways you might reduce, reuse and recycle
materials in your life. It is cost-effective and better for our planet in the
long run.
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