Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is almost here! Sunday May 12 marks a time to celebrate all the special women in our lives who help us grow and prosper.

Here are some tips for a traditional Mother’s Day celebration that is still green and eco-friendly.

• Take Mom out to a restaurant that embraces local and organic ingredients. If you are having trouble finding one, look on Eat Well guide, an online directory of restaurants, markets and stores that support sustainable agriculture.

• A beautiful potted plant gives years of enjoyment versus cut flowers which are thrown away quickly. Bonus points if you pick up seedlings at a nursery and spend the day gardening with your mom. Time spent together can be the best gift of all.

• Book a treatment at an ecofriendly spa. Mother’s Day is a great time to pamper mom at a sustainable spa that uses organic, chemical-free products.

• Homemade cards are always a hit. Make her a gift and show her you care! The website MothersDayCentral has 151 craft ideas for great keepsakes.

• Jewelry is a thoughtful gift for any mom. There are a plethora of eco-friendly jewelry options out there, with many new companies creating products whose proceeds go to charity as well. We like The Leakey Collection for beaded jewelry created by workers paid a fair wage and a percentage of the sale in donated back to the community.  

Top 10 Tricky Items for Household Recycling

One of the easiest ways we can all be mindful of our impact on the environment daily is by managing our household recycling. It can be tricky to remember which waste products go in which bin. 
Keep this post bookmarked for a quick reference of our of top tricky reclyling items. 
(Note: this list covers recyclables in the city of Toronto Blue bin program. Outside of this region, please check with your waste management provider if you have questions about what you can recycle.) 


DO recycle 

• Clear plastic fruit and vegetable containers
• CD cases 
• Metal cans (place lid inside can and pinch closed)
• Aluminum trays, pie plates and roasting pans
• Aerosol cans (empty; put caps in garbage)
• Styrofoam cups and trays

DON'T recycle

• Aluminum foil food wrap
• Potato chip bags
• Plastic over-wrap (on pop cartons, water bottles, toilet paper)
• Milk bags

Important recycling tips

• Rinse containers to remove residue.
• Put items in recycling loose, not bagged
• Remove plastic covers and over-wrap from newspapers, magazines and cases of bottle water or other beverages. 

For more info, check WASTE WIZARD. This search tool lists over 1,500 waste items and how to properly dispose of them.