Green Halifax

Like aerosol cans, Styrofoam and the common car, oftentimes it takes us awhile to realize how detrimental our everyday products are to the environment. Turns out microbeads—the little artificial exfoliators living in your favourite face wash and toothpaste—are the newest addition to the shit list. The seemingly harmless mini-scrubbers carry with them myriad consequences, from […]

The Otter Lake landfill received about 58,000 tonnes of black-bag garbage last year, and, according to diversion planning coordinator Laurie Lewis, almost half of that could have been recycled. Lewis, of Halifax Solid Waste Resources, says 47 percent of last year’s garbage was stuff that didn’t need to be there: “Any recyclable or compostable item […]

What’s changed? In terms of garbage limits, almost nothing. Residential units still get a max of six garbage bags per collection cycle. Apartment buildings under six units get a four-bag limit. But starting August 1, almost all of those bags need to be clear. What about my privacy? Everyone will be allowed one dark garbage […]

Even the most conscientious environmentalist can be stumped by a broken microwave or tube TV. Since your upcoming Saturdays are slotted for spring cleaning, here’s the low-down on disposing of confusing junk—the stuff that curbs your curbside routine. On top of daily garbage, recycling and green bin materials, HRM requires the separation of household hazardous […]

I’m not much of a do-gooder. It’s not that I’m a no-gooder, just that I don’t make a big deal of living ethically and convincing others to do the same. I try my best, but beyond composting and riding a bike, I’m not much of an environmentalist. This is why it was a really bizarre […]

Canada quietly made history last November when officials at Environment Canada gave the go-ahead on production of the world’s first genetically modified food fish: the AquAdvantage® salmon. Created by micro-injecting genetic materials from a chinook salmon and an ocean pout into the egg of an Atlantic salmon, the new GM fish grows about twice as […]

One part vodka, two parts water. It’s not a drink–it’s a quick, easy way to defy those infuriating “dry-clean only” labels on your clothes. Combine the alcohol and water in a spray bottle, then spritz any less-than-fresh areas–like the underarms or collar–with this mixture colloquially known as French cleaner. “There are times when we use straight vodka,” […]

When the lights go out in computer labs all over Halifax, and the last high-strung essay writer logs off and heads home for a few nightmares, the computers keep working. “Most of the other computers that are left on in the computer centre run 24/7,” says Dwight Fischer, assistant vice-president of Information Technology Services at […]

Earth Day is April 22, if we make it that long. Veronica Simmonds tries to live for a week without plastic. The Ecology Action Centre is taking on the federal government’s sneaky attitude toward genetically modified salmon. Wonder why all our local universities leave their computers running? So do we. Plus: Clean your threads with […]

Building a renewable energy source sounds kind of complicated, doesn’t it? It’s probably the type of project that would take a team of experts, right? What do you think would happen if a group of people, who only sort of knew what they were getting themselves into, went for it and embraced any challenges or […]