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Business tips: Skip the bottled water

6/9/2023

 
By Jess Blackwell
Black and white photograph of two differently sized reusable glass bottles of water.

​We know—having bottled water on hand is super convenient for both you and your customers. 

However, there are likely ways for you to reduce or eliminate your reliance on plastic, single-use bottles of water.
​

For example: 
​
  • If you’re a service-based business that needs to entertain clients at the office or if you regularly have in-office meetings, you can prefill reusable bottles with filtered water and keep them in the fridge. 
  • For office meetings, consider using a pitcher of water and glasses in place of bottled water.
  • To make things even more refreshing, you could make batches of infused water and keep them in the office or store fridge. 
  • Keep a few extra reusable water bottles in your office or store so that staff will never be without them, reducing the temptation to purchase bottled water.
  • And if having bottled water on hand is absolutely necessary for your business, you can consider switching to a glass-bottled brand (instead of using the plastic kind).

​

*This post is based on content originally published at lumida.ca/blog.

Cut your waste and your spending: 5 things you no longer need to buy

6/5/2023

 
By Katelyn Marie Poyntz
Picture
Want to save a bit of money while doing a favour for our environment?

Stop buying these five things:

1. Paper towels

Old clothes cut into squares do just as good a job cleaning up messes, and you 
can wash and reuse them.

Also, did you know that a scrunched-up newspaper is the best way 
to clean mirrors and windows?

2. Cleaning rags

Clothes that are no longer good for wearing make great cleaning and 
polishing rags! C

otton and flannel fabrics typically work the best, and old towels make for good 
scrubbers. Just cut them into squares, and you’re ready to go!

3. Painting drop sheets

Going to make a mess? Whether you’re crafting, painting, or 
renovating, save those old sheets and use them to cover and protect your work area.

4. Storage containers

Do you buy peanut butter, pasta sauce, or other things that come in jars? 
Save those jars and reuse them for all sorts of storage.

Plastic containers work well for nails, 
screws, or other knickknacks, such as sewing buttons, while glass jars are great for storing shelf-stable foods such as grains, dried beans, and pasta.

5. Organic (green) bin liners

Compostable green bin liners are not only expensive but the City 
of Toronto doesn’t accept them in the green bin! So you can stop buying them immediately.

Instead, save and use things such as frozen veggie bags, milk bags, paper bags, or cereal liners.

So what will you stop buying to start saving?


Business tips: Cut back on takeout coffee, walk to the cafe, and use reusable mugs

6/2/2023

 
​By Jess Blackwell
A checkered reusable coffee mug that says

​Going on “coffee runs” has been a long-lasting office and workplace tradition for some pretty legit reasons: 
​
  • It gets you out of the office. 
  • It marks progress or key turning points in the day, which is good for our sanity. 
  • It can be a form of exercise (if you’re walking to the cafe). 
  • It’s delicious.
  • It gives you that little caffeine boost. 
  • It supports local cafes (unless you’re going to Tim’s or Starbucks). 

However, if you’re grabbing one or two disposable coffee cups in a day, that can really add up.

So, next time you and your coworkers have a hankering for that afternoon coffee, consider some of these tips: 
​
  • Take a walk around the block to get out of the office and break up the day. Seriously—it’s okay to step away from your desk or the cash register just because you need to or want to, and this is something we should be working toward normalizing. 
  • If you can, bring a coffee maker (whatever style you prefer) to the office and make your coffee in-house in reusable mugs. To keep supporting your local cafe, you can buy their coffee beans, loose leaf tea blends, etc. And if you love Keurig-style coffee makers, try using reusable K-cups instead of the single-use, disposable kind. 
  • Go to the cafe as usual but bring a tray of reusable travel mugs (instead of using the single-use kind).
  • Walk to the cafe instead of driving. 
  • Support a local cafe that sources its beans as responsibly as possible.

Regardless of which of these tips you choose to implement, every change is a step in the right direction. 

​

*This post is based on content originally published at lumida.ca/blog.

Quick tips: How to minimize your carbon footprint when cooking food

5/29/2023

 
By Katelyn Marie Poyntz
Big, green bubble letters reading
In previous weeks, we talked about the carbon footprint of foods, but what about the footprint of consuming it? 

It’s all about the heat you use, which takes energy to create. 

The raw food movement would win the carbon battle, but here are some tips to reduce your carbon footprint while still having a warm meal:

  • Ovens use the most energy. Use toaster ovens or the stovetop whenever possible.
  • Electric kettles are pretty efficient—only 10% of the energy they consume is wasted.
  • Put your food into the pot/oven right away instead of waiting for it to boil/preheat.
  • Turn the oven off 10 minutes before you’re done cooking, and in the winter open the door to let the heat out (assuming you don’t have kids or pets running around that might get too close)!
  • Keeping the lid on a pot saves ~20% of the energy.
  • Use the right burner (i.e., if the burner extends beyond the pot, there will be wasted heat).
  • Reduce the heat once the water is boiling—it won’t cook any faster!



*This post is based on content originally posted on Wylderr.

Business tips: Find ways to reduce your paper waste

5/26/2023

 
By Jess Blackwell
Picture

​Regardless of whether you operate a service-based office or a product-based storefront or restaurant, chances are that there are steps you can take to reduce your paper waste. 

For example: 
​
  • Ask customers if they want a copy of their receipt before printing one. 
  • Wherever permitted by law, ask customers whether they would prefer that a digital copy of their documents be sent to them (instead of assuming that they would like a printed copy).  
  • Only print documents and forms when absolutely necessary.
  • When you must print, print double-sided. 
  • When you must print, use recycled paper (it’s a bonus if you buy a brand that doesn’t come in plastic wrapping!). 
  • Wherever permitted by law, switch to digital filing instead of printing hard copies (this will also save you some money on storage fees!). 
  • Instead of using a pad of paper, take notes on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. 
  • Use virtual “sticky notes” instead of actual sticky notes.

If you think it would be possible to implement multiple ways of reducing paper waste, you may still find it’s easier for you and your staff (and your customers) to adapt by making one change at a time. 

Alternatively, if you feel comfortable, go ahead and make multiple changes at once, and, where possible, try to give your customers and staff some notice about the upcoming changes.  This will give you time to address any questions or concerns and prepare everyone for a more sustainable workplace. 

​

*This post is based on content originally published at lumida.ca/blog.

Quick Tips: Understanding the carbon footprint of your food

5/22/2023

 
By Katelyn Marie Poyntz

​This week, we cover the infamous duel between meat and veggies!


In short, yes, a single steak has a higher carbon footprint than produce. In fact, a single six-oz steak is like eating 38 bananas or 22,000 lbs of carrots! 

However, you would only need to chow down on three oranges or a container of out-of-season strawberries to match a steak. So, if you eat a tonne of fruit and veggies out of season, it can still add up!

Check out the table below to see how some other proteins stack up against steak. 
An illustrated table showing that 1 bottle of water yields 160 g of emissions, while 1 egg yields 300 g, a 6-oz steak yields 3,000 g, and 6 oz of trout yields 171 g.
Fish is a great alternative to beef, with a single serving coming in at half the carbon footprint of a single egg. But be aware that there are challenges with the sustainability of fish farming, so it’s important to educate yourself on that first.

​

*This post is based on content originally posted on Wylderr.

Business tips: Try using low-waste hand soaps and dish soaps in your office or store

5/19/2023

 
By Jess Blackwell
Photo of colorful bars of soap on a fancy wooden soap dish.

​Instead of using liquid hand soaps and hand soap refills that come in plastic bottles or bags, you can consider some of the following lower-waste swaps: 

  • Switch to packaging-free bar soaps, which can be found at local low-waste stores, boutique beauty and home stores, and even grocery stores like Bulk Barn. 
  • Switch to packaging-free dish soaps, like this solid dish soap from Bare Market;
  • If you prefer liquid detergents, you can save your current plastic dispensers and refill them with liquid soaps purchased in bulk from stores like Saponetti or Bare Market. 
​
Stores like Saponetti allow you to order hand soaps, dish soaps, and other cleaners and household items in bulk. Better yet, they allow you to collect your refills in glass jars, reducing plastic waste. They also deliver! 

Bare Market also offers refills for liquid dish soap, which you can collect in your own glass jars.
​

And, of course, there are other similar refill spots throughout the city, so feel free to check with your local low-waste or eco-conscious shop to see what they have in stock!

​

*This post is based on content originally published at lumida.ca/blog.

Quick tips: How to reduce your carbon footprint by eating local

5/15/2023

 
​By Katelyn Marie Poyntz
In a previous post, we explained what a carbon footprint is. Now we’ll help you reduce it! 

This week’s key message: eat seasonal and local whenever possible.

Out-of-season produce is transported further and is often grown in hothouses, which are heated structures used to create the perfect growing environment. In some cases, air transport is also used to make sure the produce arrives at the store before it spoils. The energy to heat and fly can significantly increase the carbon footprint of such products.

In the graphic below, you can check out the difference between in-and out-of-season oranges and strawberries. It’s pretty wild!
Picture


​*
This post is based on content originally posted on Wylderr.
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