Canada to Reward Pulp and Paper Mills for Efficiency Improvements
In this day and age, monetary incentives are pretty much the only way to get large Canadian businesses to go green. Good to hear the pulp and paper companies will have some incentives to change their ways.
Why is this here? Well, I thought the headline was pretty amazing. Eco-friendly dating service? What’s that? Is this a perfect Canadian Green Company? Well, maybe not. In the words of the CEO:
“The easy navigation and reduced time it takes to find your love makes Promatching an environmentally-friendly, free online dating service,” K said.
Now that’s a really incredible claim. I’m all for reducing electricity costs through design but this claim is a stretch of stunning proportions.
Separating truth from greenwashing in the West’s energy export boom
Good perspective on how much greenwashing is going on with Canada’s energy industry.
98% of ‘Green’ Product Labels Potentially Misleading
If that’s not a “wow” moment then I don’t know what is. Seriously? 98% are potentially misleading? That’s an incredible number but “potentially” really opens up a lot of possibilities, no?
Building green homes—10 a year in Canada
Canadian Green Business Effect Homes (web site, listing) garnered a mention about its focus on green building. I like the fact that builder seems to be taking the location as well as the green technology and techniques into consideration.
Green hotline coming to Wellington, Dufferin
Good news for me since I live in one of the covered counties. I think I’m pretty environmentally aware but there’s always some question that needs answering.
Holiday Inn Express To Open In 2010 As Quebec’s First Leed-Certified Hotel
Ground was broken for Canada’s first LEED-certified hotel. Never mind that it seems pretty far from transit and the main Montreal tourist attractions.
Rules to root out false green tourism claims
Greenwashing is a very real phenomenon. The Canadian Sustainable Tourism Advisory Council was set up to police the claims of “green” tourism operators.
The conundrum: A large LEED home will probably have a larger carbon footprint than a smaller, non-LEED home. But hairs to be split aside, Canadian Green Business Leading Homes (web site, listing) recently completed a 6 000 square foot “eco luxury” home. To their credit they make a good case: Fuel usage cut up to 90 percent. Massive rain capture system. Built to last much longer than the average Canadian home.
Insight into the green heart of Canada
I’ll confess that I love transportation. Planes, trains, boats, cars, bikes, whatever. If it gets people form A to B I like it.
I love Top Gear, a British car enthusiast show (not a boring point-by-point car review show). Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson is an informed and opiniated car reviewer and he labelled the Insight “biblically bad”. If it’s biblically bad, it’s going to be pretty hard to sell these things or add to the green credibility of these cars travelling road show or not. Folks want their cars green and mean.
Green Energy Act could create 90,000 “green” jobs, report concludes
Waiting for my green job in a Canadian Green Business. Where do I apply?
Great Wolf Lodge Review: Wisconsin Dells
OK, summer’s almost here, it’s time for some fun. Now a theme park may not be the greenest way to go. Driving and the carbon footprint of the facilities alone are probably enough to give died-in-the-wool greenie a coronary.
But environmentalism is incremental, I think. It’s pretty much impossible for folks to give up their lifestyles and wear hair shirts so if they must indulge, at least look for the silver lining.
Great Wolf Lodge has a location in Niagara Falls so I figure it qualifies as a Candadian Green Business of sorts. But don’t look for a directory listing anytime soon.
Are You “Energy Staging” Your Home?
I’m sort of skeptical about this. Yes, green features should be selling points for a home but I’m sure that folks who actually do the upgrades will resale in mind will demand more than the actual upgrade is worth. For example: a geothermal system will probably cost between $15 000 and $20 000 after all the rebates and grants are replied. I’m totally guessing here but I imagine people will feel justified in asking $30 000 more for the home after the retrofit. Total and complete speculation there, though.
Green technology: Coming clean
I find this really intriguing. There are plenty of good products that die an ignoble death on the route from prototype to production. This is probably why I enjoy watching Dragon’s Den. Seeing a good product get the backing it needs it great.
Canadian Business Magazine has teamed up with Drayton Weissenfels are teaming up to find market ready (or near-ready) products to throw some money at and get them over the hump. Check out the Clean 15 competition page and read more about the great prizes available.
Canadian consumers 2nd-worst in environmental impact survey
Oh, now that’s encouraging news! Seems a lot of this is based on the fact that Canadians prefer larger houses and own cars, though, so not all is lost.
And Canadians: Interested in moving up the rankings? There are a ton of Canadian Green Businesses on the GreenIndex that want to help you out. Shameless plug, I know.