Ask Ashley
Greywater Gains Ground
February 19, 2008Q:
Dear Ashley,
I’ve come across several do-it-yourself greywater systems in magazines and I’m wondering if they are permitted for use in Calgary. Is there a preferred system for Calgary?
With regards,
Paul
A:
As the pressure on finite supplies of water increases people are forced to look for creative ways to stretch the water available to them. Calgarians, not unlike most North Americans, receive all of their water treated. This means that water for washing the car, watering the lawn and garden and flushing the toilet is all the same – water treated to the highest standards such that it is deemed potable (drinkable). Treating water to this level for all purposes streamlines the process but this comes at a great financial and environmental cost, as treatment is highly energy intensive. Water reuse has been shown to not only take pressure off of the treatment infrastructure and local watershed but also supply abundant and cost effective water to areas where treatment is unnecessary.
Disposing of Prescription Drugs Safely
January 14, 2008Q:
We’ve recently sold our house and now we have the arduous task of cleaning it out and moving all of our things. What we won’t be keeping, giving away, selling or recycling will sadly have to go to the dump. We’ve tried our best to recycle most of the odds and ends but we’re having trouble with what seems to be an endless supply of old prescription and over-the-counter pills, tablets, syrups, etc. etc. Should we flush them, throw them in the garbage or is there somewhere we can take them for proper disposal?
Your help is greatly appreciated,
Peter & Jill
Why Babies Prefer Glass
December 13, 2007Q:
Ashley,
We are currently feeding our 5 month old son out of Avent baby bottles. There are no labels on the bottles indicating which types of plastics are used in them. First, do you know how we could find out what grade of plastic we are using? Secondly, do you know of a better bottle alternative?
Thanks!
Jason
Ho, Ho, Hold the PVC
November 14, 2007Q:
Dear Ashley,
I recently bought my first home and after spending twenty-five Christmas’s around my parent’s plastic Christmas tree I’m wondering if I should make the same choice for my own home. Are there benefits to the fake plastic tree or should I be buying a good old-fashioned real tree?
Thanks,
Sara
A:
Dear Sara,
Somehow I knew this question would appear in my inbox as the signs a Christmas started popping up the day after Halloween. Luckily for you, Sara, I know your story very well as I, too, grew up in a home where we’d unpack the raggedy old plastic tree from its sorry looking duct taped box, wrapping it in garland as tightly as possible to prevent the branches from sagging to the floor. I missed the pine smell enjoyed by many of my friends but the reason we had a fake plastic tree was simple: real trees dried out and posed a great threat to everyone in the house. At least this is what my mother told me. She’d often tell the story of how, when she was a young girl, their house nearly burned to the ground because of a real tree. I didn’t think about it again until years later when I came to the realization that plastic was made of oil and from what I knew of oil, it burns very, very well.
All Charged Up
October 15, 2007Q:
Dear Ashley,
I’ve seen that people can recycle rechargeable batteries around Calgary but I’m wondering why disposable batteries aren’t being accepted. Are they not toxic as well? Is there another program in Calgary that allows for disposable batteries to be recycled?
Best Regards,
Leon
A:
Hello Leon,
With the rapid rise of portable electronics, the number of consumer batteries discarded is dramatically increasing. Environment Canada’s Canadian Consumer Baseline Study estimates that 450 million (15,182 tonnes) consumer batteries were sold in Canada in 1994, with the number expected to climb to 659 million by 2010. The sheer number of batteries entering the waste stream has driven some governments to regulate the industry and implement programs to reduce the hazards to human health resulting from improper disposal.
The Unusuals – recycling, taken to the next level
September 14, 2007Q:
Hello Ashley,
I was delighted to come across the Guide to Reuse and Recycling and I was impressed by the level of detail. I’m an avid recycler but there were at least a dozen items that you gave solutions for that I never thought could go anywhere but the trash. I’m sure there are many people like me that might not even look in the guide for something like wine corks but it’s refreshing to know that they don’t have to end up in the garbage. Perhaps you could compile a list of the unusual items that might have evaded even the keenest of recyclers.
Cheers,
Tammy
What’s the matter, are your fingers broken?
August 15, 2007Q:
Dear Ashley,
Perhaps this is a bit off-topic, but do you have any ideas on how I can tactfully tell people who are idling their cars to shut off their engines while they wait the restaurant, convenience store, or gas station? I do not want my "lights punched out".
Best Regards
Mona
A:
Hello Mona,
If there’s one thing that gets me red-faced, it’s idling. But I should note that it hasn’t always been this way. Growing up in Northern Saskatchewan I recall my father instructing me to go warm up the truck before heading out to run a day worth of errands, even before I was old enough to drive. This was common procedure in my household. When I was old enough to drive myself, I recall running outside in my slippers, the mercury sitting at a chilly -20C, to start my car so that when I was ready to go, it would be comfortable enough to wear my lederhosen. I was always told that if the car wasn’t warm enough for me, how could I expect it to be warm enough for the engine. I didn’t think twice about it.
Is Paper Recycling Toxic?
July 16, 2007Q:
Hello,
Could you send some information regarding the processes involved in recycling paper? We were having a discussion and were wondering if the processes used to create recycled paper were more toxic than those used to create new paper?
Kim
A:
Hello Kim,
It would seem that your query is referring to the common myth that states something along the lines of: “recycling is more harmful than just throwing it away and buying new, virgin products.” Rest assured recycling is not a futile exercise and this, by all means, extends to paper. In fact, paper made from recycled material is less toxic than paper made from virgin paper. Let me explain.
Paper made from virgin sources requires an immense amount of bleaching to remove “lignin”, the natural glue in cellulose plants that yellows the paper if it is not removed. This is typically done with chlorine or chlorine containing compounds, which may combine with organic compounds under certain conditions to produce organocarbons, including the toxic pollutant dioxin. The inks and dyes used to make paper products also add to the toxic mix, which of course has to be dealt with when the paper is recycled.
Landfills Aren’t The Only One’s That Pass Gas
June 15, 2007Q:
Ashley,
I recently heard a statistic that stated that Calgary’s landfills account for more greenhouse gases than all of the cars on Calgary’s roads. Is this true? Also, what is the contribution of cattle to climate change?
Thanks,
Monica
A:
Hello Monica,
That’s a great question and I must say that I’ve heard statistics of a similar nature. In fact, the City’s website states: “today, The City's three active landfill sites are our biggest source of greenhouse gases.” This statement might lead a person to believe that this is certainly the case. I believe, though, that this statement refers to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the City of Calgary as a corporate unit. In Calgary, as a whole, only 3% of the total GHG emissions come from landfills. The vast majority come from electricity generation (46%), vehicles (27%) and natural gas (24%). Alberta’s heavy reliance on coal explains the electricity component and it’s not difficult to imagine the impact that nearly 600,000 vehicles in Calgary are having on climate change. While the landfill component is relatively small, we should not trivialize its contribution to climate change.
Home Water Purification Systems
May 14, 2007Q:
Ashley,
It was suggested we contact you about home water drinking system options. We have used a NSA filtration system for years and it has to be replaced. We are just starting to look at water systems options. There are only two of us and we don't go through that much water.
We're wondering if perhaps reverse osmosis unnecessarily removes too many minerals and uses too much water in the process. Mountain Fresh (a Calgary company) has filtration systems that seem OK, but we don't understand the science behind water, nor how our choices may affect the environment. It was mentioned today that disposing of filters is an environmental consideration. Also, a friend mentioned the issue of pharmaceuticals in water. Is this a concern for Calgary? Fluoride? Other bacteria? Cysts?
Can you give us some advice about wise ways to provide good drinking water in our home in Calgary and/or contacts where we could learn more?
Regards,
Shelly