Cleaning - who knew?

As I've become older I noticed that my skin on my knuckles were getting really rough. I kept putting lotion on, and though it covered it up, it never really solved the problem. Well, after seeing "Chemical Nation" I got inspired.

I figured it couldn't hurt to change out my shampoo, soaps, body wash, and house hold cleaners to WholeFoods 360 Brand. It didn't follow all the rules as outlined in the movie, but it covered off most of them. It took about a week, and I noticed that those rough spots on my hands started softening; and then by the end of two weeks, it was back to healthy skin. I'm convinced that this really made a difference, since I didn't change my diet at all. The only thing that changed was the removal of toxic chemicals.

After this, my wife and I have been checking the labels of all the products we've brought into our home. Slowly, everything is being changed over, and everything thing feels just as clean. However, now I'm not thinking about the toxic chemicals I might be breathing in or worse "eating".

As a final comment, I'm not sure if you noticed and ad on tv for Lysol. It shows a mother spraying a youngster's teady bear with Lysol. I wonder how willing the board of directors would be to give their children, or grandchildren a stuffed bear sprayed with Lysol. Considering most youngsters stick everything in their mouths, imagine the toxically report after a child sucks on a Lysol covered stuffed toy. It astounds me that Health Canada hasn't stopped the ad. I'm also surprised that this passed the internal marketing department.

For more information on Health in Oakville check out OakvilleNews.Org, it is the latest info on all things Oakville for Oakville residents.

Chemercial: A Clean for a new Generation

A great movie that gets you thinking. Chemercial: A Clean for a new Generation, investigates what the addition of chemicals to everyday cleaning products such as soap, laundry detergent, shampoo, and tile cleaners do to indoor air quality. Indoor air quality is usually about 10 times more toxic then outside air quality. So Andrew Nisker the film's director and narrator decided to look at the chemicals that are part of everyday life, and managed to get the Goode Family to remove all chemicals from their home for a period of 3 months to see what happens. The Goodes are a straight forward Canadian family, and buy accordingly. They, like many Canadians, have been hit by a job loss, so need to trim their budget.

That is the basic premise of the movie, however, what gave the movie its impact was the improvement to the Goode's standard of living. Their youngest suffered from asthma, and that cleared up during the three months. They felt more energized, and were saving a considerable amount of money each month. Now the obvious flaw is that most of us would never make our own laundry detergent, and the non-toxic substitutes are substantially more expensive.

The other interesting comment I took away from this film, was when the Goode's are taking their old products to the dump. These products, which we've been told are perfectly safe, are required by law to be taken to the hazardous waste section. If the government recognizes them as hazardous, and most of the products clearly state that they are hazardous, then why are they allowed to sold.

So my action is to remove these products from my home. Replace them with non-toxic, and count my lucky stars that I might escape from getting cancer, from all the crap that has been in my life.

Sweet Milton at Sweeties Cafe!

Monday was simply a stunner of a day. The weather was warm, the sun was shining, so I decided to take a little time off to enjoy the weather. As per usual, I like to take a small trip somewhere close to home, and I chose Milton.

Milton has a quaint historic town with a main street, historical homes, and lovely town parks. I parked the car right in town, and went for a walk around to see the holiday decorations starting to go up. After this I walked around the large pond in the middle of town.

As it got close to lunch, the inevitable happened: I was hungry. After having wandered around town, I found a delightful spot, with prices so reasonable I asked the owner if there was a mistake: Egg Salad Sandwich on home made bread with lettuce and tomato for $2.99.

For lunches I don't like fancy places: but rather dinners with comfort food using great ingredients. I had found my Milton spot: Sweeties Cafe: Bakery & Catering. I had a grilled cheese & bacon sandwich made with real slices of cheddar not processed cheese slices on home made white bread. I also had a small caesar salad with home made dressing and croutons. For dessert the lemon square was first class made with real butter, eggs and lemons. It is hard to find someone who actually uses real ingredients, and knows what to do with them.

So if you are in Milton, looking for a good lunch/breakfast/light dinner, I would highly recommend "Sweeties Cafe" at 20 Martin Street. The owner/baker is Karen so say hi when you visit this very friendly cafe.

Thanksgiving: so much to be thankful for

This weekend has been particularly positive. Laura and I had a great Saturday together testing cars: Nissan Cube and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Cube is a great deal of fun to drive. The seats are really the weakest link. Every time I went around a corner, my whole body started sliding on the seat. This is a big draw back for me, but I love the versatility of the car. It has more then ample room for 4 adults, not a great deal of storage if you've got a full passenger load, but we usually only travel with the 3 of us anyways. I only wish they would allow the consumer the ability to upgrade not only the electronics, but also the interior. They would get a much broader audience.

After this we went off to see "Fame", which had some good tunes, but the dialogue and character development was extremely week. The TV show wasn't amazing, but it was like this movie, entertaining.

Sunday was very successful. Had a great breakfast of soft boiled eggs, bacon, and whole wheat toast while watching what must be my favorite program: Sunday Morning on CBS. Then it was off to prepare for my Open House, and lunch with my buddy Joe. The Open House was a great deal of fun, where I met several very nice people. Finally, the day ended with a Birthday party for Dad. Kate and Rob with family came down from Waterloo, and it was so nice to see everyone.

Today is turkey day. It has been a while since our last turkey dinner, so my mouth is already watering. I hope who's ever reading this, has a tremendous day as well.

What are the issues surrounding a Green Roof

During the last few months I've noticing a number of innovative builders in town either installing green roofs such as the Conventry, or are planning their new builds with green roofs Windmere. Here is a little information, which I felt might be helpful in answering questions you might have.

Technology Snapshot & Benefits:
Green roofs are roofs on which plants are grown. The roofs are extensions of existing roofs that are suited with waterproofing systems, fiber cloth, drainage systems, irrigation systems, and soil to keep the roof safe while providing an environment where plants can grow. These roofs are beneficial in a variety of ways. The evaporative cooling of the plants and heat reduction from the added thermal resistance of the plants can help reduce monthly cooling costs. This reduction is even more significant in urban areas where the roofs can also help combat "heat island effect," which is caused by reflections off buildings and cars in urban areas and often contributes to high cooling costs. Because of this, the size of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems on the roof can also be reduced in new or remodeled homes, which can save money. For homes or businesses with solar heating systems mounted on the roof, this cooling helps increase the efficiency of the solar units. Green roofs also extend a roof's lifespan an average of 20 years by reflecting UV rays and preventing the roof from experiencing extreme temperature changes. Because the plants and soil act as insulators, homes with green roofs require less traditional insulation. Green roofs act as a fire retardant and reduce noise pollution by buffering the roof. The buffering also eliminates nearly all electromagnetic penetration, which can be important in buildings with telecommunications equipment mounted on the roof.

Evidence has shown green roofs contribute to personal and societal well-being. Studies also show that green roofs help reduce stress, stress-related illness, and patient healing times. Food and flowers that can be sold or consumed by the homeowners can be grown on the roof. The plants on the roof help filter CO2 out of the atmosphere and other pollutants out of the rainwater. Having largely biodegradable roofs helps reduce the amount of roof waste filling landfills. They can also provide a habitat for small wildlife in urban or suburban areas. The work necessary to maintain, design, produce, and install green roofs can create much-needed jobs. Additionally, green roofs may be fashioned for specific purposes, such as playgrounds, day cares, or recreational/leisure areas that would provide additional outdoor community space.

Estimated Cost Savings:
Estimated cost for green roofs is $8-25 per square foot, depending on the type of roof (extensive or intensive; see "Issues" and "Installation"), soil and vegetation desired, and location of the home or business. Costs may be higher in urban areas because of traffic costs, or in areas where materials aren't readily available. Savings for the homeowner on monthly cooling costs vary depending on climate, building type, and typical building use; however, according to a 2002 Canadian Research Council study, green roofs can reduce peak energy demands up to 75%, but the average homeowner utilizing a green roof reported 20-25% reduction in heating and cooling costs. Some insurance companies, such as State Farm, are also offering a reduction in home insurance costs of up to 33% for installing green roofs. Companies installing green roofs could also potentially gain emissions trading credits or LEED points. It should be noted that the cost of replacing or fixing a green roof is usually higher than that of replacing or fixing an ordinary roof, but the savings due to the extended lifetime of green roofs will counterbalance these costs in most cases.

Issues:
There are several legal issues associated with green roofs. The homeowner or business owner is usually liable if there is any roof damage due to leakage or roots; therefore, it is very important that green roofs are properly installed and maintained. There is a time commitment for the homeowner or a hired caretaker of the roof, although this commitment can vary greatly. There are two types of green roofs: extensive and intensive. Intensive roofs can support a wider variety of plant life, even small trees, and are labor-intensive, requiring a lot of maintenance. Extensive roofs are much less demanding and are set up to be basically self-sustaining, needing only to be weeded once or twice a year. The time that is available for one to care for the green roof should be taken into account when deciding what type of roof to get and what time of plants to grow.

If the roof is being used for recreation, there are obvious potential personal injury issues, so safety must be carefully considered. Another tip for those looking to install green roofs is to set up a system that can collect rainwater or runoff and use that water to irrigate the roof. This keeps water bills lower and is another easy way to recycle resources.

Regional Issues:
Reduction in heating and cooling costs from green roofs is dependent on original demand, which is in turn dependent on local climate. Areas with more extreme temperatures such as Oakville, Ontario are likely to see the most benefit. Pollution reduction is most apparent in heavily polluted regions.

Installation:
Green roofs must be installed by a professional. Installation involves installing structural support, a vapor control layer, thermal insulation, a waterproof membrane, a drainage layer, a filter membrane, a growing medium (usually soil), and any desired vegetation. Installation of intensive green roofs is more expensive, typically $15-25 per square foot, than extensive green roof installation, typically $8-20 per square foot.

Green roofs can be installed in new or old homes. It is highly recommended or necessary (depending on the roofing company's policy) to consult a structural analyst before installing a green roof to ensure that the roof is tailored to work with a specific roof.

Heat Glorious Heat!

My good and dear friends, Colin Fell and his sister Susan Walkinshaw's mother had recently passed; her home had been sold, and the new owner plans to demolish the small home. Two years ago, they had replaced the furnace. They were kind enough to offer it to us and that same day our old furnace stopped working.

Until I watched one layer after another be uncovered under the skin of the old furnace I wasn't aware of what a big job it actually was. Taking out the old furnace which ran originally on coal, was converted to oil, and finally to natural gas, took 3 strong young men over 3 hours to dismantle. The furnace remains filled the back of the company's cube van, not including the dried remains of three small birds.

So now we saved this perfectly good furnace from being recycled, as well as added a much more efficient heating system to our little home. This adventure took two days. Out with the original heater, which the poor guys at Abbey Air had to uninstall and in with the new. Our carbon foot print just got a whole lot smaller, and the air is just that much fresher.

Transition Oakville: A Good Thing

Last evening, I was at a great meeting for Transition Oakville (goal of which is to make the town sustainable). The concept is to create a place to share experiences from setting up a vegetable garden and what to do with the excess produce, hooking up a water barrel, or creating a permeable driveway. There are going to be monthly meetings, which are open to all. Yesterdays meeting had 11 very knowledgeable and interesting people.

If you are interested in a subject which will help us reduce our carbon foot print, that residents can apply to their own lives, make a suggestion. If you are just interested in learning something, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

For further information is: http://www.transitionoakville.ca