1. Can help the bank account – especially if you embrace the premise of less consumption.
2. Good for the health – with all the extra local walking you will do
3. Save gas money – and with the price of gas now, that’s a big one
4. Save food costs – you really can spend less with a garden and cooking from scratch
5. Improve the quality of your food intake and hence your health
6. Reduce debt load – which will lead to a reduction in stress and a little more freedom.
7. Tax deductions and credits for greening your home.
8. Keeps the environment cleaner for future generations – and the current ones.
9. Reduces waste and landfill – who wants everything to go in a landfill
10. Efficiency…you will have more time if you start to look at a green approach to doing things
11. Competitive advantage for businesses – people now want to buy green but watch out for green washing.
12. You will sharpen your mind and become a little more aware of the world around you – a good learning curve for everyone

There you have it a dirty dozen of some simple advantages of going green. I’ll try to put up several of these little reminders on various topics for you every month.

I don’t often write holiday themes on simply stephen but thought a little note on how to green your Halloween would be refreshing. For this consumer holiday it is easy to overlook some simple steps you can take to a greener Halloween.

Green Costume – try to make your costume or find a costume exchange. If you have a group of friends with kids, see what you can swap. Going to your local store and buying a costume is not a good option (many of those costumes have lots of plastic and toxins) unless you are going to a used clothing store. Donating your costumes to a charity or community group after is a good idea or saving it for child number 2 to wear next year.

Halloween Parties – try sending your invite by email, twitter or an eVite online service. Think about how you will decorate and use dishes and cutlery that can be washed and put away, not the throw away kind. Just give it some thought about getting there, can you car pool and have one designated driver.

Green Halloween Treats – consider treats that are a little more healthy and not maybe even organic if you can afford it. Some treats like lolipops, snack bars and dried/rolled fruit are a good choice from the health standpoint and especially dark chocolate. You could get creative and substitute with a toy instead of candy – make sure you have a good selection or the kids might give you a trick! You can find organic treats for a bargain at your local organic health food store. Sweet potato cookies made with stevia or a variety of healthy but delicious snacks like granola bars could also do the trick. Use a recyclable bag to collect the treats or even a pillow case.

Decorations – try decorating with recycled items. Cutting out recycled cardboard into Halloween shapes. You can pile up leaves and fill sacks to make scarecrows or other items of fear.  Pass on the pumpkin if you don’t have kids that want to carve, or you can simply draw the face on and use the pumpkin to make pie. If you do carve the pumpkin, use it all and make sure you compost the rest.

As an added note you don’t have to follow the kids around in the car or drive them – try walking. Hope that gave you some fodder for your Halloween Haunt. Please add your two cents in the comment fields so we can generate some more ideas for next year. Thanks for reading and have a safe and happy Green Halloween.

This simple pear crisp recipe is a sweet delight of pears with a crunchy topping. Delicious. The recipe is an end to the perfect meal. Perhaps my favorite desert when done with apples instead.

Ingredients:

1. fresh pears
2. raisins (optional)
3. lemon
4. cinnamon
5. nutmeg
6. ginger optional (powder or fresh)
7. butter
8. flour (I stay away from flour made with wheat) – this time I used spelt flour
9. brown sugar

Tools:

1. pearing knife
2. baking dish (I used glass and pyrex)
3. mixing bowl
4. bakers pastry blender (or a fork)

Prepare the topping first, so it is ready to put on top of the pears. The butter, sugar and flour are done in proportions to how much topping you want and how many dishes you have. The nice thing is you can make as thick or thin a topping as you want. It’s really sweet, so less is better for a pear crisp. With an apple crisp you can use more.

Your butter should be soft (ish). Use 1 part butter, 2 parts sugar, 3 parts flour. I just eyeball the butter, but you could measure 1/2 cup of butter to 2 cups of sugar and 3 cups of flour to make a nice crisp topping. Experiment a couple times and you will figure out how you like it. Blend the butter into the mixture until it is small pieces about the size of a finger nail.

Cut as many pears as needed to layer the dish (about 2/3 full). Sprinkle the nutmeg & cinnamon to the desired taste. You can add fresh ginger in small pieces and raisins or currants will go nicely too. All the spices are optional as the pears on their own will be fine. Squeeze a little bit of lemon onto the pears.

Add the topping. Put as much or as little as you want on top of the pears. This is sweet, so be careful not to put too much. You can pack it down a little bit to get a really crisp topping. Now you are ready to cook. Add the topping to the pears. For best results, I pack it down with my hands.

Turn the oven on to about 375 degrees and set the timer for 40 minutes. This is really hot when it comes out of the oven, so if you are dying to taste it, have it with a little bit of vanilla ice cream to keep from burning your mouth. It reheats very well but is also pleasant served cold. Total prep time is about 15 minutes.

You can save the topping in the fridge, which will save you for the next one. Enjoy. By the way if you take all the skin and core cuttings (minus the bad parts) and put them in a large quart pot full of water, you can make an excellent pear juice and tea. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about half an hour. Drain the juice into your container. Then add more water and this time blend it with a hand mixer and strain into a container for a nice pear tea. Waste not want not. Next year, I may make or find a fruit press of some kind.

On a lighter note and in contrast to the last couple posts Instant Gratification and Important Things in Life today I’m going to share with you the latest adventure and the value of pears.

Let me explain. On Saturday, I went volunteer pear picking with Not Far From The Tree an enjoyable and fruitful (sorry) couple hours. We picked a lot of pears and I came home with a nice portion to make a variety of simple recipes, which I will share with you next week along with some pictures.

In fact the picking involved a couple hours of travel (After we picked I drove the organizer to drop of the food for donation to the soup kitchen). On the way home, I dropped by some friends that I don’t see that often and was able to share some pears with them and family members that were visiting.

Then on Tuesday evening: the sorting, cleaning, peeling, cutting, cooking, canning, baking and clean up – the toll, 7 hours until 2:30am. Even though my hands were sore, I loved every minute of it. Oh, and I didn’t waste anything (except the energy to cook the pears). Even the remaining stems, cores and skins were used for my juice. Then I put them in the compost pile. They will continue to reap benefits next year as food for my vegetable garden. Pears, the gift that just keeps giving.

Here’s what I made – Pear Sauce, Pear Crisp, Pear Juice & “tea”, not to mention lots of fresh pears. I managed to share a few jars and some pears with various people. That alone made it worth my time. That was my instant gratification and it involved 12 hours of my time. The pears are fresh, the cooking is natural with no additions. The taste is sweet and that is the value of doing things the simple way. The pleasure of the process is often forgotten.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? For sure, I’m looking forward to going out for at least one and hopefully two apple picks with the group this season. The power of the pear was quite simply an experience in community and simplicity that amplifies my appetite for more. It wasn’t work. It wasn’t instant. It was fun and fulfilling.

Stay tuned for some great recipes in the coming weeks. With the summer & fall harvest I’ve also made Tasty Tomato Sauce, Chunky Chili, Cool Cucumber Soup,  Cheesy Zucchini Bread, Borscht (Beet Soup) and will be making a few things with fennel and apples. Since I cook from scratch and often in batches on a weekly basis, if you like the recipes and ask me for more I would love to add Simply Savory as an extra weekly posting.

Stick to a few simple guidelines, the ones you choose. It’s a problem to decipher all the literature and hype. A change in your consumption habits can drastically reduce impact on the planet. If you want a consumer guide to find safe, healthy, green products, use the Good Guide to get results. Better yet, avoid commercial products (there are exceptions like computers or fridges). A much gentler and sustainable way forward.

Here’s my 12 Step Program to choosing green products:

1. BUY USED – If you can find it used – buy it that way,
2. LOCAL -Buy it local, when purchasing online look for local options (you can target by area for eBay). Transport and freshness.
3. QUALITY OR HANDMADE – Is this a quality item that will last for a long time? Cheap, mass produced items usually last for a lot less time.
4. CAN I MAKE IT MYSELF
5. INGREDIENTS – Is it plastic or made from toxic material? Don’t buy chemicals, things with danger on the label – look for natural alternatives
6. PACKAGING – How much packaging is there and what is it made of?
7. SEAL OF APPROVAL – Products that have Green Seal, Fair Trade or Certified Organic (USDA) are safely green and ethical It could have energy star on it, but what about the process and company it was made by, how well does the item recycle
8. COMPANY TRACK RECORD – Is the company that made it ethical, green and socially conscious (careful on this one) plus revert to step one and choose the little guy!
9. COST TO MAINTAIN
10. MULTIPLE USE – Do I have another product or item that I could use in place of this?
11. COULD I SHARE IT – Think about how you buy it, not just what you buy.
12. DISPOSAL Is the item really green – what will it take to recycle it and how much will it cost to maintain it in terms of time, travel, shipping, parts, labour etc.? Can this item be recycled? This is the full circle, if you get it

Do some research – places like greenerchoices.org can give you a starting point and you can find products in the Good Guide listed above.Before you purchase something you may want to ask yourself the question – do I really need this and if so why? Then ask – how will this really change my life? This will be a starting point for a conscious choice in your habits. You could also borrow, rent or share the cost of a new product.

IF this hasn’t confused you, the next article will introduce you the the concept of green washing and why you should be careful about what you buy. Many people think that the choices they make are green because the media has convinced them they are green products. It’s not just the product but rather the whole picture.

Since I’m on the topic of gardening this spring, I’ve decided to continue the theme with the up and coming season of fruit picking. Community fruit picking is an old idea that has been revisited in recent years. In Toronto, a new not-for-profit group, Not Far From the Tree has emerged. With so many fruit bearing plants in Toronto, in 2008 the first full season of picking was completed with 3003 pounds of fruit picked.

I’ve decided to volunteer this year and have spoken with Laura Reinsborough the project coordinator. So popular is the program that they have successfully received more volunteers then they have fruit to pick. If you are interested in volunteering – they need Gleaners, a fancy way to say Lead Pickers that help other volunteers get involved. You can contact Laura at laura@notfarfromthetree.org for further information. They are also looking for homes that would like assistance with picking.

So what is the program and why did it capture my attention? If you didn’t visit the link above, here’s a quick recap. The program started in order to capture the abundance of fruit in Toronto gardens and keep it from going to waste. Volunteers help pick the fruit and it gets divided 3 ways between the home owner, volunteers and community organizations. They also pick flowers and fruit from Spadina House. This prevents the fruit from being wasted, assists homeowners that have a difficult time picking and gives back to the community and volunteers working with the program.

A very special act of green, sharing and bringing a community together while reducing waste and increasing awareness. Does your city have a similar program? Are they interested in starting one up? Post a comment on the website and let me know about the programs that exist in your neck of the woods. After all word of mouth is a wonderful thing.

I’ve been using Twitter, as an experiment in simplicity for about 3 weeks now and have created quite a connection with a bunch of great users. Though not a fan of social media, Twitter is simple and very quick to connect with a large audience of like minded and cross functional people. I’ve been Twittering a #actofgreen daily and it’s been a hit. Because of that I’ve decided to change the format of the green and simple living tips and add an #actofsimplicity to Twitter.

What I will do now is compile a list of all the tips – this will give each of you more bang for your buck and will include links in the postings to share the love.  There will be one more version of the Simple Living Tips before I convert to this format. Let me know what you think and how I can give you the ultimate bang for your buck. Please consider joining Twitter and adding my profile simplystephen50 if you have not already done so. I will be able to interact with you much more frequently and make a point of personally talking with everyone, not an easy task but very rewarding.

In the last issue of Green Living Tips we talked about consumption. Today’s tip, in the spirit of spring, is about growth. More specifically planting a garden. That’s it, only one tip. Planting a garden is the ultimate loop in sustainable and green living. It connects you with nature. It feeds your spirit and provides sunshine and warmth. That vegetable garden is fresh and offers you more fresh nutrients, food for the winter if you are able to dry, can or freeze your food. There are no pesticides, there is no shopping, a huge savings in the long run. The list of benefits can run on and on. Quite simply put, plant your garden, I’m doing mine on Tuesday. You will have a bounty that you can share and enjoy. Your health, pocket book and Mother Earth will thank you.

Green Living Tip # 1 – Look at the Life Cycle of the Product

Lots of people make claim on a green product or way of life but in essence unless there is zero impact on the environment, few items are truly green. Try not to get fooled when buying a product by thinking about the product as a whole. Is it energy efficient – what impact will it have on your consumption?

Look at the materials it is made with, perhaps the process to make them uses a lot of energy or creates a by-product. Where has it come from – perhaps it is manufactured in a far away land you’ve never heard of where sweat shops exist. It’s traveled a long way to get to you and hey, you have the same thing made right in your back yard. Was it shipped efficiently? How long will it last? Think of light bulbs, the new LED may cost more but they will last for thousands of hours longer, producing less waste not just in the product but the packaging too. As an added note if it is a quality product, it will probably last longer.

Lastly, don’t forget about the packaging and disposal of the product. What harm will that do to the environment? Can it be efficiently and 100% recycled with no damage to the eco-system. Important questions to ask.

Green Living Tip # 2 – Limit Your Packaging

Today’s products come with excessive packaging, often plastic and other non-recyclable materials. Raise your voice about that packaging – if you won’t buy it, the retailer and manufacturers will have to change their tune. Point in case – I try to go to local markets and stores that don’t wrap fresh food in Styrofoam and plastic. Why does lettuce need a big plastic sealed container? Your choices and demands can change how things are sold to you. Some companies are now making sure these packaging are biodegradable or at least able to recycle. Have a look and think twice before putting it in your cart.

Green Living Tip #3 – Invest in Socially Responsible or Local Companies

Our voices speak volumes. There are many companies that have good environmental records and are very profitable. Invest in the ones that care about the environment and you will find they care about you and your community. Several investment firms are even focusing or limiting funds to “only green” for the conscious investor. Lots of business make green products, use local suppliers, reduce packaging, treat employees well and are involved in the community. Wouldn’t you rather support them?

Green Living Tip #1 – Get a Water Saving Shower Head

Replace your leaky faucet with a low flow water saving showerhead. A low flow showerhead can save 5-10 litres of water per minute, or 50-100 litres per minute. That’s up to 365,000 Litres of water for one daily shower per person. Remember you are not just saving the water, but also the electricity to pump and heat the water as well.

Green Living Tip #2 – Have a Shower, not a Bath

Reduce the use of water with an energy efficient shower. Filling a tub usually takes more than 120 litres of water, while a 10 minute shower uses less than 100 litres.

Green Living Tip #3 – Take the Five Minute Shower Challenge

Take the 5 Minute Shower Challenge. Try to see if you can reduce the time in the shower. Have a shower every other day. Turn the water off when you aren’t rinsing off. Use less water and less electricity since you will be in the bathroom for less time.

Water heating is the second heaviest energy user in the average Canadian home. Learning to use less of it while bathing is just a start. Washing dishes, cleaning in and around the house, toilets and faucets, and other bathroom habits are other things to consider. Our next issue will talk about smart consumption principles.

Green Living Tips #1 – Use Scrap Paper for Notepads

Forget about those pesky little post it notes and notepads. Take them out of your budget. You have ample paper left behind from excessive printing. Take that scrap paper and make simple notepads. You would be amazed at how much paper you divert from landfill and how much savings you can bring to your office stationery budget.

Green Living Tips #2 – Print Smarter

How? For starters, try to use recycled paper and print on both sides. When you don’t need to use a copy (or if you have made a mistake) turn the paper over. If it’s just for your use, why does it matter if there is something on the other side. Use a program that optimizes your printing and use of ink. Check out green print software for one simple solution. Also, consider using recycled ink toner for your machines and keep the cartridge out of the landfill when you do get rid of it by properly disposing of it. Also think about when or if you need to print. Could you share a document between groups of people.

Green Living Tips #3 -Turn the Equipment off

Yes, I know it has power saving features but 365 days of power is a lot during 40 or 50 hours of office work. When you go away for lunch shut it down, that’s about 200 hours of energy saved from just one machine. If you shut down at night and on the weekends that’s thousands of hours saved. Imagine if every office did that.

The choices you make for your paper and printing habits can greatly effect energy consumption, paper consumption, landfill, dangerous chemicals, transportation energy and overall costs in your office or home. Consider them for a greener, cleaner office or home. Our next issue will talk about water consumption.

Here is your first set of Green Living Tips to enjoy. Please practice and integrate them into your lives. Remember to share them with your friends, family and peers. I’m going to start with some basic ones – the ones you’ve recently heard about every day.

Green Living Tip #1 – Bring your own Bag or Basket

This is just a simple habit. I’ve been doing it for 20 years. Up until the 70′s everyone brought a basket with them. Plastic bags are just a convenience that we’ve grown attached to. There is no real benefit to having them. Once you get in the habit of carrying a bag, you’ll forget all about those environmentally costly plastic ones.  Oh, and your bag won’t break on the way home.

Green Living Tip #2 – Buy Local

Buying from a local supplier is one of the best things you can do. In short, it promotes local economy, keeps the transportation costs and effects on the environment to a minimum and maximizes the nutrients you get from the product. To learn more, here is a recent article about local purchase benefits.

Green Living Tip #3 – Get a Travel Mug

There are multiple benefits to this one. It’s so easy to carry your own mug but if you make a pot of coffee in the morning you can pour it into your travel mug and save the time and hassle of visiting a coffee shop. The mug keeps it warm so it’ll last longer. If you do go to a local shop, they often give you a discount and you tend to get more coffee for a better price – they charge you medium for more than a medium in general. Just doing this one simple thing keeps hundreds of paper mugs out of the landfill – a no brainer.

This is your first set of tips to implement. Easy changes. Painless. Inexpensive and ultimately it will save you money, either directly or indirectly in the long run, not to mention the environment. Pass them on and share these ideas with your friends, family and co-workers.