Abbotsford Green Drinks
Abbotsford Green Drinks is providing the opportunity for ‘green minded’ folks to meet up on a regular basis in a casual and fun environment to share information, make friends, network face-to-face, support outreach and undertake collaborative projects to make all things 'green' in our city. This includes event announcements, articles, job listings and more.
Our Mission
To facilitate an ongoing dialogue that builds awareness and inspires action toward a sustainable and profitable future through community engagement.
We depend on "YOU" to make it a success!
Bring friends, bring co-workers, green or not, it will be a great evening ...so get ready...cash bar - ask for non-alcohol drink specials - alcohol [optional] .... Come early, stay late...............
Green Drinks gives you the opportunity to meet other amazing like-minded people from backgrounds in design, architecture, alternative energy, publishing, blogging, photography, non-profits, finance, film, golfing, gardening, consulting, business, real estate, farming and more... A night not to be missed!
NEXT MEETING!!!
Abbotsford Green Drinks/Green Links Earth Day gathering
WHAT: Make a difference for green living and greening the planet
WHEN: Thursday, April 19th
TIME: 4:30 to 6:00 PM
WHERE: Legal Grounds Coffee House 33775 Essendene Ave. Abbotsford, BC [back room]
HOW: Walk, cycle, bus or drive.
WHO: Anyone working on environmental issues or studying them
WHY: Fun, contacts, info, inspiration, business and pleasure
REMINDER: To get on this email circulation list, send message to: dennis.shepit@gmail.com
PRIVACY: This email list is ONLY for Green Drinks reminders. We will not give your email address to anyone else
STATUS: Informal, self-organizing network.
Please forward this message to invite your friends and coworkers to come.
We are stronger together as a network.
Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Let's take action, communicate, learn, teach, debate, work together and give examples of how to turn sustainable ideas into actual practice.
What is sustainability?
“It is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Come network and share your skills and ideas in order to help people, animals, and the environment.
We all want a better future world; focus on that with your time, energy and money, in a positive way.
Share, debate or forward your viewpoints, opinions, and experiences o green issues at our gatherings or via email this website.
We want to hear what you have to say.
This includes event announcements, articles, job listings and more.
http://www.greendrinks.org/BC/Abbotsford
Here are some things you can do if you want to be Green
Things You Can Do Now
I believe in the ‘Upstream Approach’ that anticipates and avoids problems before they occur, rather than reacting to their downstream effects. www.naturalstep.ca
Albert Einstein said: "Intelectuals solve problems but it's the geniuses that prevent them"
Which of these energy saving tips have you adopted as good habits?
I switch off the light when I exit a room
I unplug most of my appliances when not in use
I use a water-efficient shower head
I take my own bags to the market
I buy my groceries and do other shopping "locally” most of the time
I compost and recycle nearly everything
I turn off computers and other non-essential electronics at night.
I replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that have low mercury content.
I installed low-flow aerators on faucets.
I ask for green cleaning products and services for my building.
I purchase recycled paper and other office products made out of recycled material, encourage employees to recycle, and recycle larger office items like electronics whenever possible.
I minimize paper waste by removing employee names from junk mail lists, using double-sided or two-page-per-sheet printing, and reusing scrap paper for note-taking and phone messages. (We like to use old business cards because there are usually plenty of them lying around and they keep internal messages short and to the point!)
I encourage employees to walk or take public transportation or alternative transportation, such as hybrid cars and carpools, to work. I educate employees about the available options and offer incentives for alternative transportation if possible.
I have created a work-site management plan that minimizes landscape waste and chemical use and encourages the use of native species in plantings.
Top 20 actions
Small actions make a big difference. Pick a couple below to get started.
1. Turn off lights each time you leave the room
2. Use energy efficient light bulbs at home, school and office
3. Take the bus 1 day per week or more instead of taking your car
4. Walk or ride your bike to school or work once per month or more.
5. Join or organize a carpool.
6. Buy a fuel efficient vehicle.
7. unplug appliances and electronic devices with standby features.
8. Eat 'meat free' meals once a week.
9. Buy local and in season food whenever possible.
10.Ask for local, organic and fair trade food.
11. Use a portable coffee mug.
12. Bring your own cutlery/chopsticks/cup/tupperware.
13. Drink from the water fountain or tap to reduce plastic bottle waste.
14. Use a stainless steel water bottle.
15. Purchase used furniture, clothing, school supplies and books through Craig’s List Vancouver.
16. Print Double-Sided.
17. Buy 100% recycled paper.
18. Support local businesses and Canadian made products.
19. Buy 100% biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning products and toiletries.
20. Share what you learn with family and friends.
Warren Leon, co-author of The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices, says that while those decisions are important, don't sweat the small stuff: "The biggest impact you can have is when you're making a big decision." Transportation, food and household operations make up 60 to 80% of our environmental impact. Knowing the areas where you contribute most to environmental damage will help you make good decisions that have major benefits.
Water Matters Inside The Home
The three largest sources of water use in your home are showers and baths, toilet flushing and washing machine use. See below for ideas to reduce your water consumption at home.
Install efficient showerheads
Older, inefficient showerheads use an average of 15 litres of water per minute. By replacing your old showerhead with a new water efficient model (6.5 litres per minute or less), you can significantly reduce your water use.
Spend less time in the shower
Shortening the amount of time you spend in the shower can also significantly reduce the amount of water you and your family use on a daily basis. By reducing your shower time to 5 minutes, you can reduce your water usage to around 50 litres per shower.
Install efficient washing machines
Older, inefficient top-loading washing machines use an average of 125 litres per cycle, whereas newer hi-efficiency machines can use as little as 55 litres per wash cycle. Replacing your old inefficient top-loading washing machine with a new hi-efficiency model can save you water and energy. Maximize your laundry machine efficiency by washing only full loads of laundry or use the load size selector function to match the water level to the size of each load.
Install efficient kitchen and bathroom taps
A kitchen tap can flow as much as 12 litres of water per minute when fully open. By installing a tap aerator at a sink in your home, this amount can be reduced to as little as 3.8 litres per minute and save you an average of 69 litres per day.
A tap aerator limits the flow of water from the tap by adding air to the water supply to maintain the desired pressure coming out of your tap. Tap aerators can quickly pay for themselves through significant water savings.
Making small changes to your daily routine can also make a big difference on your water bill such as not letting the tap run while shaving or brushing your teeth.
Fix the leaks
A leak in your home that drips once a second may not sound like a very significant problem; However, it can easily add up to as much as 16 bathtubs worth of wasted water in just one month. Be sure to replace worn washers and valve seats in household taps to keep water waste to a minimum. Leaks are not always visible and obvious to homeowners. As toilets age, and toilet components begin to degrade, it is common for toilets to leak significant volumes of water without anyone noticing.
How to check if your toilet is leaking:
- carefully remove the toilet tank cover;
- pour a few drops of coloured food dye into the tank;
- wait a few minutes and then check the water in the toilet bowl (don’t flush the toilet during this time); and
- if the coloured dye has seeped into the water in the bowl, without having flushed the toilet, there is a leak.
Turn off the tap
Don't let the tap run unnecessarily. This includes turning off the tap when brushing teeth, shaving and washing hands.
Sweep driveways
Cleaning hard surfaces and driveways with a broom is the most water efficient method. Washing driveways in July and August is banned.
Source: http://www.ourwatermatters.ca/index.php?page_id=80
© 2010 Abbotsford Mission Water & Sewer Services
Announcement:
The Green-Go-Kid is on a “rAMPage” determined to “Kill-a-Watt” and put “Phantom Vampires” behind “Bars”.
Find out where the next FREE workshop is being held.
Pulling the plug on appliances and electronic devices with standby power can save you up to 50% on your household electricity bill while reducing wasted energy and mitigating the impact on our environment.
This site was updated by Dennis Shepit on March 14/2012
